The Natural Progression Of Time
by Red-7134
Summary: Life goes on. This is the progression of the character's lives, relationships, and experiences with growing up. A Continuation Fic of Lilly's Route. I hope you enjoy. -Red
1. Scene 1

Scene 1: This Point In Time

A.N: I am back, I'm hyped, and I'm pissed off! I _really_ hate technology sometimes…

But fuck it, I'll just push through with perseverance, determination, and spite!

-Red

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Lilly, Hanako, and I sit around the wooden table in an appreciative silence. Lilly's tea set sits in the corner, untouched. The usual relaxed and comforting atmosphere of our little classroom now has a feeling of hollowness as an undeniable part of it. I recall my first days at Yamaku, my encounters with all of the interesting people here, and my hopelessness with directions which led to me finding the woman I love.

Despite the melancholic tone of the room, it is peaceful and the three of us are content to sit here and ruminate on our pasts and futures. After some deliberation, we had all chosen to apply to West River University, a college which shared many aspects with Yamaku, despite not being directly affiliated with it. West River, like Yamaku, specializes in accommodating the physically impaired. It also boasts a full-time nursing staff proficient in medicine, discretion, and tact on campus 24/7. It's entrance exams are known for being just as difficult as other private universities and are scheduled on twenty-fifth of January. They accept anybody who can pass the exams, but promote their position of being able to support people with physical needs by giving students like Hanako, Lilly, and myself a scholarship of a sort. Because of the reduced tuition, most Yamaku graduates choose to apply at the prestigious West River.

The chaotic paths to whatever goal we choose seemed to have gained a semblance of order, and although the calm is appreciated by all of us, the longing for simpler times mixes with the eagerness for the future in a conflicting fashion.

Hanako and I watch the late July sun darken and fall below the horizon and Lilly sits quietly, holding onto my hand. The serenity that is enjoyed by us is only tainted by the bitter-sweet-

BANG!

"Hiya, hiya~! What's with this gloomy gathering?" The fire and ice duo that is the student council bursts into the room, fitting into its mood as well as a bleach would with vinegar.

"..." Shizune signs at lightning speed before flipping her short hair to the side.

"It's already six-thirty, miss Satou," Misha chirps, "the class representatives have a meeting to organize the final checks!"

I sigh as Hanako quietly resets the chair she toppled upon her suddenly leaping to her feet. Lilly opens her eyes slowly. "Oh dear, time has passed quickly. My apologies counsel president."

Slightly irritated I say, "what last checks? It's been a week since the break started, most of the students have already left."

As Misha signs our responses to Shizune, Lilly gets up and begins extending her cane.

"Wahaha~!" Her signature laugh bounces up and down with her trademark drills. "Silly Hicchan~! Lots of students are still here though, aren't they? And lots of possessions get left behind in rooms every year. It's an important responsibility of the student council to make sure nothing of sentimental or mon-e-tar-y value is lost!"

"They are correct, Hisao." Lilly makes her way to the pair. "The rush of summer break often sweeps over and leaves some things behind."

"..." Shizune gains a look of distaste.

"And with only the two of us on the council, we were backed up with other things so we already have a late start~!" It only occurred to Misha at the end of the statement that it was meant to be berating. Misha gives me a playful glare which Shizune must find unsatisfactory because she then gives me one which burns a hole into my chest.

"..."

"Not only that," Misha continues, "but I, that is Shicchan, and Misha, that is me, are some of the only ones who can actually check rooms." I can understand why running around campus to look for left behind possessions would be difficult for some students.

"Not to include the clean-up for the tanabata festival, the planning for the new members and the-wahhh~!" Misha suddenly flops onto the table dejectedly, sending Hanako into the corner. "We wouldn't be a tenth as busy if Hicchan had just joined us…~"

Putting aside the disturbing fact that they had planned for me to do nine-tenths of the work if I had joined, I did feel a little bad. Being in the hospital for tanabata gave me complete exemption for that workload, however. Still, I don't have much homework over this break so maybe...

"Maybe I could help with checking the rooms." The words escape my mouth before my brain weighs the consequences. Misha bounces up at my offer and excitedly signs it to Shizune.

"..." The superior and satisfied look of Shizune's face makes me think she planned this entire thing. "Wahaha~! That would be great Hicchan!" Shizune pulls a piece of paper from her pocket. "..."

"Here are the rooms that still need to be checked. It's mostly just the third-year girls' rooms, and having boy there is usually against the rules, but it should be fine for you to go if Lilly joins you! We, on the other hand, shall be laying some foundations on things with Aoi and Keiko~!"

I knew it.

"My, my." Lilly seems to have noticed their scheming as well. "Is this all because you don't want me giving the new council members the wrong idea about empathy and trust?"

Shizune playfully signs with Misha. "..."

"Not at all, dear cousin," Misha translates. "We simply need to instill as much untainted knowledge concerning hard-work and determination into the newest recruits! Wahaha~!"

That's essentially what Lilly said.

"Off you go you two! And no slacking off!"

The pair of them practically drag me and Lilly out the door and Hanako sneaks past them without a word to join us.

All in all, the summer break seems to be having a rather hectic beginning.

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A.N:

Hi! Thanks for reading this chapter. Sorry about the whole several month hiatus and completely remaking the story but I had to because technology. Again, the chapters will be uploaded irregularly as I have other priorities, but I will finish what I start (or at least try to).

Please read and review.

-Red


	2. Scene 2

Scene 2: The Natural Next Step  
A.N:  
If you're rereading this, or you get notifications about stuff like replacements, or whatever, then you probably notice me changing stuff a lot.  
This is because I messed up on the timeline and some other stuff. Lots of other stuff. But it doesn't matter (as much) now! So onwards with the chapter!

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Checking rooms is dull work.  
Find a vacant room. Look under, behind, and in between everything. Put any lost items into a bag. Repeat.  
We did find all kinds of stuff though: wallets, books, clothes, and more. It makes me want to check under my bed to make sure none of my books are under it. Some people had yet to move out or finish packing though and simply promised us they wouldn't leave anything behind. According to Shizune's instructions that meant we just had to go back after they left.  
At room 270, the door was already partially open.  
"Oh." I looked at Hanako, who had been mostly quiet until now. "This...it's Naomi's room. She must've stayed up late."

Inside the room was a mess. Dozens of notebooks, pencils, newspapers, and miscellaneous items were strewn everywhere. A blonde girl is slumped over the desk, gripping a pen tightly in her sleep.  
I picked up a random notebook and flipped through it. Random and unconnected lines of text were splattered on every page. Snippets of dialogue, half described mountainsides, and fancy-sounding names made it look like a book written out of order.  
Hanako manages to squeeze a blanket from under the clutter on Naomi's bed and gently set it on her snoring friend.  
"Naomi tends to..." Hanako searched for the right words. "Not procrastinate when inspiration strikes her. No matter when that may be." She made a concerned face at her friend's writing habits.  
"Does she write for the newspaper and creatively?" I ask.  
Hanako nods. "And takes pictures. Naomi told me that was why she wanted to visit Kyoto: for inspiration and so she could return a camera she borrowed. We'll be staying with her cousin while we're down there."  
Lilly smiled at the Hanako talking about the trip. "Well, I hope the three of you enjoy your trip. It's a shame that my parents sold our estate there, we could have gone with you."  
Hanako shook her head. "N-no, it's fine. I'll be fine. It's important you meet Hisao's p-parents." I blush slightly at my summer plans and am grateful when Naomi gets up with a tired yawn.  
"Huh…?" Naomi stretches and looks at the three of us. "Who are…"  
She pauses. "Oh...hi Hanako."  
Naomi wraps the blanket around her tightly and spins lazily around in her chair before yawning again. "Sorry, I had this idea last night about a girl with a cat and a motorcycle and a…" She pauses. "I forgot." The dejected expression on her face looks like a cross between pouty and annoyed. "So, did you want something?"  
Lilly, who seems to have gotten a grasp on the situation, says to Naomi, "The student council asked us to check the dorms for any possessions left behind. I should tell you that third year students are expected to move out by the end of July."  
Naomi squints at Lilly, clearly still tired. "It's…" she pauses. "It's July…tweeeentieth?" I shake my head. "Twenty-first?" She asks hopefully.  
"Nope. Twenty seventh." Her face takes on an aghast expression as she looks around her hazardous room. "I-I could help you c-clean up." Hanako offers. The blonde's face brightens. "Really?" She asks. Hanako nods and looks at Lilly and I, "if t-that's alright."  
I assure her it is fine and Lilly loops her arm through mine. "Shall we be off then?" And we leave the pair to clean up the wasteland.  
Being alone with Lilly is nice. Her arm is warm and I can feel her leaning against me ever so slightly. "Hanako has grown a lot, hasn't she?" I say. Lilly smiles and raps on a door. Upon receiving no answer she opens it saying, "more than you could know. Both you and the girls in the newspaper club have helped her so much." I look around the room, finding it identical to mine. Barren walls and white linen sheets give the room a barren and impersonal feeling. Lilly runs her fingers over the desk and I rummage under the bed. "The two of you helped me too." I say. Something about being in a room like this alone with Lilly reminds me of when I first came to Yamaku.  
Dejected. Cynical. Angry. Hopeless.

"You two really helped me." I get off my knees and tap Lilly's shoulder. "You. You saved me."  
Patches of red begin to bloom on her pale cheeks. "My my, what is bringing this about?" I shrug automatically then say, "I'm just remembering what I was like before I met you. And even before I had my heart attack." Lilly reaches up and gently cups my face. "I'm glad I was able to meet you as well, Hisao." She pulls my face towards hers slowly, looking directly into my eyes with her warm blue ones. I can feel my heart begin to speed up as we kiss.  
I pull back after an impossible to determine amount of time. "We still have some rooms left." I begin panting slightly. Lilly runs her hands through my hair and across my face delicately. "We do."  
"We should get back to that." I begin unbuttoning my shirt.

"We should," Lilly follows suit and smiles mischievously, "but we won't."

Keeping it

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PG-13

I rub my chest absentmindedly with one hand and run the other through Lilly's long hair. I assume that this wasn't what the Nurse meant by "exercise," but I seem to be getting better at it.

"So what should we do about the sheets?" Lilly asks.

"I can just wash them with my regular laundry." I shift a little, allowing Lilly to position her head on my chest. Right above my scar. "I might be able to just leave them there, then. If the sheets are clean it won't be a big deal." Although, I'm not sure if normal laundry detergent will get rid of the stains."

"Do you think we'll be able to continue this at college?"

Hm…I have been more worried about college itself and not the…extracurricular activities I may participate in. But if West River University has strict rules about after-dark, I would definitely miss these impromptu sessions Lilly and I have. "I'm sure we will be able to find a way." Lilly seems content with this answer and begins to lean closer into me.  
After a few more minutes of basking in the afterglow, Lilly gets up much to my displeasure. "How long have we been sidetracked?"

I look at my watch by a pile of our mixed clothes. "Less than thirty minutes, it's seven fifty." Lilly seems to contemplate her options before saying reluctantly. "We should finish. How many rooms are there left?" I follow her out of the bed and slowly get dressed. "Just three more." I glance over the now crumpled paper. Even though it had well over thirty room numbers written in small and neat print, it only took us about an hour to finish dozens of rooms. "I promised Akira I would meet her out by the gate at eight," she says, reclasping her bra. "She should be arriving in about half and hour."  
I chuckle at the well meaning jab and finish dressing myself. We clean ourselves the best we can and put our clothes on. The sheets are going to be washed anyway. Lilly finishes as well and fumbles a little looking for her cane on the desk. Grabbing the bag of lost items I take Lilly's hand and the two of us heads to the next room. "When you meet my parents." I pause and Lilly halts her tapping.  
This is something I have been thinking about for a while. I want to say it well.  
Eloquently.  
Confidently.  
Refined.  
"When you meet my parents should we let them know we're having sex?"  
Fuck.  
"I mean," I hasten to rephrase it in a less crude fashion. "I mean that sleeping together is a big decision for couples; if the first time I introduce you they learn about it, they might be…disapproving…" I awkwardly drift off at her understanding smile. "It is, and they might be." She seems entirely unconcerned. "If they ask, we can explain and I'm sure they will understand. If not, I'm sure I can get them to accept our relationship."  
Content with that response I knock in the door before opening it.  
In two days Lilly will meet my parents. I feel like should be more nervous, but right now I think everything will be fine. With a beautiful girlfriend and a promising future at University, this is hardly the worst possible situation.

Extra:  
"I've got a job for you." The deep raspy voice speaks in a commanding tone.  
On the other side of the phone, a harsh, electronically distorted voice says,"I am glad to hear from you. It has been-."  
"Disperse with the niceties. You're a hitman; you only need to be polite if it's required to kill the target."  
The altered voice chuckles. "My, my. Are still upset that I-."  
"Are you going to listen or not?!" The raspy voice cuts them off again impatiently. "Your target and the information is being sent via audio-files. You know the protocol."  
"Of course I do, however I am currently occupied."  
"What?" The dark voice sounds angry. "What does that mean? The target is vulnerable today! This is a golden opportunity! This is why you should have come back when I summoned you! You've become-!"

"Father, I have done so much for you; why are you determined to take this from me?"  
"Killing for the Family is the only thing you'll ever be good for!"  
"You ended a sentence in a preposition again, father. And if you are right," the electric voice takes on a subtly threatening undertone, "why would you want us to be at odds with each other?"  
"Are you-?!"  
"Goodbye father. Until next time. And do not worry, I will handle everything, I always do."  
The deep voiced one's furious response is cut off by a pleasant beep as the call is dropped.  
"Hey Lilly, is your dad giving you a hard time?" Hisao asks. "I don't want you guys to be fighting." The young women with hidden depths simply smiles. "No, nothing too severe. He just wanted me to deliver something to one of his business associates."  
The oblivious young man pulls their clothes back on. "Oh yeah? What?"  
A mischievous and sadistic smile is obscured by the blouse being pulled over the blonde's head. "Just a bottle of vintage red wine. My father said his associate deserves it. I've heard that the brand, misericorde, has a _to die for_ flavour."

A.N: Hello, thanks for reading the second chapter of this story. I appreciate any and all feedback.

-Red


	3. Scene 3

Scene 3: From A Different Perspective  
A.N: This scene is written in the Point Of View of Hanako. It starts...I don't know...two(?) minutes after Lilly and Hisao leave.

I will be uploading the H-Scenes separately (maybe), but will be putting an indicator/line in their place in the main story.

Ugh…this chapter was especially hard. I always thought Hanako was kind of left 2-dimensional: You're very sad, but you cope with you past traumas in your own personal (albeit unhealthy) way. You don't want people to treat you as fragile or broken because you tell yourself that everyday.

Honestly, Lilly's Route gave her better characterization than her own Route did. So developing her character in a realistic and accurate way is even more difficult than building Natsume and Naomi from practically the ground up!

But I digress; on with the story!

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This is the worst possible situation.  
I opened Naomi's laptop to check its charge. I see the screensaver. An innocent and cute picture of what I presume to be a younger Naomi and a boy.  
Who's that?  
A friendly question.  
A simple one.  
But the answer carries immense complications: "That's my cousin, Shiori. He's the one who we'll be staying with."  
"What d-d-do you mean t-this is your cousin?" I point a shaking finger at her laptop screensaver. In it, a younger Naomi beams proudly with a tiny fish, displaying two missing teeth. Her hair was lighter back then. Beside Naomi, a slim, chocolatey-haired boy a bit older than her smiles in a slightly more awkward and forced fashion. His eyes are a lighter shade of brown than his hair and very large.  
"I mean that his dad and my mom are siblings." The blonde begins to spin in her chair, clearly not grasping the situation. "Shiori's a bit quiet, but sweet."  
"Th-that," my words stumble along the path between my brain and mouth, becoming tangled and distorted beyond comprehension. "I-that-w-w-."  
'Breath slowly.' My therapist's calming voice says. 'Unclench your fists.' Her low baritone is steady. 'Think about what you're going to say.'  
"T-three girls c-can't stay with a guy f-for f-five days." I manage to squeeze it out.  
Naomi stops spinning and nods thoughtfully. "I see what you're saying." She tilts her head. "But we're responsible adults. I'm sure nothing scandalous will happen." The last part is added with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.  
No.  
No.  
That's not it.  
It's a part of it, yes, but…  
That's not it.  
I'm not a child. I've almost walked in on Lilly and Hisao several times.  
I concerned about three crippled people staying with one guy for five days. What if Naomi has an epileptic episode? What is Natsume's arthritis causes complications? Would he know how to deal with it? The way Naomi worded made it sound like her cousin was an adult but he can't be more than a year or two older than a Naomi.

"Hanako." Naomi gets up and puts her hand on my shoulder. "If you really are against it, I can return his camera and we can just stay at a hotel."

That wouldn't work, no. Kyoto was the main place I wanted to visit. Staying in a hotel would be too expensive to spend more than a few days in. Naomi's cousin gave me the opportunity to see all of Kyoto, and Naomi said she-he would even be willing to do the driving. Taxis are too expensive. It just makes sense financially to accept. I was even eager when I still thought he was a girl.  
Who names their son Shiori? Of course I would think Naomi's cousin was a girl.  
Besides, Natsume and I already bought the tickets for tomorrow. I have to go. This is something I have to do. Naomi wouldn't have suggested we stay with him if she thought he would be incompetent.  
Naomi has been waiting patiently for me to answer her. I think carefully about what to say. "If you t-think it will be ok, t-then I t-trust you."  
She smiles broadly at that and I feel a warm sense of relief. If he is Naomi's cousin I doubt he would be malicious or anything. The picture is old, but he looks like he was a cute kid.  
'I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.'  
Repeating this phrase in my head, I return Naomi's smile and her grin widens. "You'll see, Shiori is a sweetheart. Plus, we will only be spending the nights at his place; most of the time we're touring the city!" I nod. This is another difficulty that I have to face and overcome. Not everything in life is planned or goes according to whatever plans one makes. Surprises like this will be an everyday occurrence in the future. I need to learn how to deal with them now.  
Having managed to convince myself to go, with Naomi's assurances and encouragement, I close the energetic girl's laptop and look at the rest of the room.

She really is messy.

"H-how are you organizing?" I ask.

Naomi looks up, confused. "Organizing?" I nod. "Well, they fit on the way here so I figure I just need to," she waves her hand at the piles of clothing and other items, "put in the squishyable stuff last and it'll work out."

Oh Naomi.

She laughs dismissively. "I wouldn't know, my mom packed for me. She's always nagging me about learning random stuff like this though. God it gets annoying, one time I lost two hours to a lecture about how to gauge the correct amount of laundry detergent."

I recall the first time I used the orphanage's washing machine.

It ended with three crying girls, two hundred yen, a broken mop, and a bruised hip.

"She's just t-trying to help you…" I say. Help you grow up. Help you become responsible. Help you become an adult. She's just being a mom.

I struggle to explain the basics of organization to Naomi but it seems to just go over her blonde head.

She really is smart, she just...is hopeless in taking care of herself. After a while longer, we managed to fit all of her possessions into her two suitcases. Her handbag was also stuffed with various pens, gaming devices, and other miscellaneous items. She had tried to introduce me to the world of video games, but I refused. All of those games and handhelds looked too expensive.  
And Natsume said they rot the brain. I don't think she meant literally, but I would rather avoid having my brain rotting, metaphorically or otherwise.  
Naomi stretches and yawns. "Ugh. I don't know why they have to kick us out for the first weeks of summer. Can't they just have the cleaners come in after everyone graduates?"

It's a rhetorical question so I don't answer. But internally I notice several flaws with her plan.

She looks at her phone. "Sweet! It's only a little past eight, the night still young. Do you have any plans?" I shake my head. "The train doesn't come till eightish tomorrow." Seven-thirty. "So how about we head into town? I want to visit the arcade one last time."

After Naomi convinced Natsume to come with us, I text Hisao.

Hanako: I'm going into town with Natsume and Naomi.

Hisao: K have fun

Hisao: Lilly says hi. We'll see you off tomorrow morning, don't stay out too late.

Hanako: I know, see you.

I can't help but feel a spark of pride. Going out with my friends.

It feels…normal.  
I never thought I would have…recovered this much.  
My ruminations are interrupted by Naomi. "Where do you want to visit, Hanako? I wanted to see the Golden Temple first! That's a must."  
"The official name is the Deer Garden Temple, and it will be at its busiest when we arrive." Natsume had gone to Kyoto as a middle schooler and loved it. She knows a lot about the various attractions. "The train will arrive at Kyoto at precisely twelve-thirty in the afternoon. It will take roughly twenty minutes to drive with your cousin from the station to the temple. I would rather be able to enjoy my visit to Kyoto than be overwhelmed by tourists."  
As Natsume lectured us on the importance of avoiding the crowds, something I was in full agreement with, Naomi held her hand up beside Natsume's right side and flapped her thumb up and down mockingly in time with Natsume's mouth.  
It was funny, especially paired with the blonde's exaggeratedly pompous expression, but it would be rude to laugh.  
Would it be rude not to laugh, though?  
When someone tries to be funny you should laugh, right?  
But this joke is taking advantage of Natsume's poor vision.  
But they're dating, so maybe she would be alright with it…

I just smile a little and Naomi, having not gotten the reaction she wanted apparently, stops with a pouty look on her face.  
"...Meaning that right before closing would be the best time to visit the Deer Garden Temple. So the first attraction we visit will be Myoshin-ji Temple." Natsume finishes her textbook-esque lecture exactly as we arrive at the arcade.  
The outside is painted black. The sign is disproportionately large and bright in comparison to the rest it and the neighboring stores. Inside it seems even smaller. Two skeeball games and a pair of fighter machines are squeezed on adjacent walls with a lonely crane in the corner between. The ticket exchange counter on the right corner has dozens of cheap toy prizes and a few large stuffed animals.  
"Yeah, that's real great and all," Naomi yawns in an obviously fake manner, "but you just spent the last five minutes talking when I asked Hanako the question."  
Natsume blushes. "Well your follow up statement was to the both of us and…"  
"I-I'm fine with anywhere." I say in an attempt to save Natsume from embarrassment. "I'm fine with anywhere in Kyoto, it's the main place I wanted t-to visit."  
"How about a game?" Naomi grins. "I win, we visit the Golden Temple first. If you win, we see the Myoshin-ji." Her red eyes flash with a challenging gleam. "Naomi," Natsume sighs exasperatedly, "the Deer Garden is open nine-to-five. We will have plenty of time to see your Golden Temple."  
I walk over to the old lady at the counter and hand her ¥1500 and collect the tokens. She seems nice. When I get back, Naomi and Natsume have chosen on skeeball to decide. Personally, given that Myoshin-ji had irregular hours, I would prefer if we use Natsume's plan.  
"I have the t-tokens." We each get ten of the little coins when split three ways.  
"Besides," Naomi says, "it's our senior year summer break! Also, what do you have against deer and gold? Don't you think deer are cute?"  
"That's Nara Park, Naomi. Thank you, Hanako." Natsume slides her tokens into a skeeball game and looking pointedly at Naomi's hopeful expression. "And were not going there either; it would take two hours to drive there and back."  
The energetic blonde snatches a pair of my tokens and does the same. "Hana's my representative! Game start!" I jump a little at her sudden declaration. Representative? "Let's go Hanako, this is for Nara Park and the Golden Temple!" I reach hesitantly to the balls that slide down smoothly from the top. "I-I'll t-try…"  
Natsume simply shakes her head at her girlfriend's antics and positions herself to roll. "I know it's our senior year, and I don't have anything against deer, I just think it would be more practical to…dang it!" She looks at the scoreboard flash a little before displaying a "fifty," the lowest score.  
'Deer are cute, though.' The thought comes out of nowhere. As I roll I say, "I-I wouldn't mind going t-to Nara…the more of the world I see…the better."  
The red ball seems to float directly to the low one hundred I was aiming at before gliding straight in.  
Natsume considers this and squints her right eye and takes her shot. Fifty. "Tch. Well it seems like I'm outnumbered. As long as your cousin is fine with driving us."  
Smiling gently, roll again, aiming for the five hundred.  
Direct hit.  
After a few more rounds of skeeball and Naomi wasting half of her tokens on the crane trying, and failing, to get a small dog, the three of us make to leave.  
By the entrance I notice another crane machine. Odd that they would place it directly opposite of the other games. Unless one turned their neck completely to the left, it would be impossible to see when entering, as well.  
In the colourful box, a stuffed deer is squished against the window. The large, dark eyes seem to look sadly at the door, as though wishing someone would notice and try to win it.  
I reach into my pocket and pull out my last two tokens.  
"Hana?"  
I only just now realized: Naomi has started calling me Hana. A nickname. I like it.  
When I insert the coins, the machine blinks joyfully to life. I maneuver the crane carefully.  
Careful…I punch the button with more energy than is probably needed, and the claw descends slowly…slowly…  
As the claw wraps almost gently around the stuffed animal, the lady behind the counter says, "don't bother with that one, it's broke…"  
I reach through the flap and pull out my prize. It's soft.  
"Huh," the lady scratches her grey hair, "the grabber thing never goes all the way down, guess it just needed a little muscle to make it work."  
I blush slightly and Naomi giggles. "That's our Hana, so good at games she can win even when it's broken." She bumps into me gently with her shoulder. "Did you go after that because Naomi was whining about wanting to feed the Nara deer?" Natsume adjusts her glasses and smiles.  
I shake my head. I just…wanted it I guess.  
As we make our way back through town I think about my panic attack earlier today. I've been having fewer and fewer lately. Naomi and Natsume hold hands and I think that, despite the rough start to the evening, it turned out alright.

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Extra:

Hahahaha!

You will suffer for eternity! No one can save you! The moment a glimmer of hope enters your view, my hell barrage will resume and crush your spirit! You were foolish to challenge me, a master!  
"DAMNIT, STOP SPAMMING KI BLASTS!"

"I told you'd regret getting her hooked on video games." Natsume shock her head. "I-I'm not hooked," I say in a hopefully defiant voice. The muscular Reeyou repeatedly follows my simple and effective forward-b commands. Naomi's sprite attempts to jump over but I react quickly and finish with an aerial Ki Blast.  
HAHA! I am victorious! You will never rise from the ashes of your shame and defeat! My superior skills and tactics dwarf yours! Maybe now you'll think before challenging one who is the empress, nay the goddess of Alley Brawler II!  
"T-that was fun. T-thank you…"  
"It's not fair, Natsume!" Naomi whines to her girlfriend. "You were the one who insisted to play," the brunette scolds. "I have epilepsy! I can't focus on the screen!"  
"That's photosensitive, you're generalized. If screens gave you episodes you'd be dead from all the video games you play already." Natsume turns to the machine. "I honestly do not know how this is not a copyright violation."  
"D-do you want t-to play again?"  
"Hm?" Naomi perks up. "You're on!"  
I chuckle internally as she foolishly inserts another token into the slot, sealing her fate.  
"Ready?" The electronic voice asks. "Fight!"  
It won't be a fight…it will be a slaughter.  
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A.N: Once again, I appreciate any feedback. Even if it's just a simple "This word is spelt X," or "You switched tenses," or "Wow Red! You're awesome! I can't wait to be able to say I read the Fanfictions of a Pulitzer Prize winner!"

So please, let me know if there's anything you (dis)like.

-Red


	4. Scene 4

Scene 4: Paths That Change and Diverge  
A.N:  
Researching for a story is a giant pain in the ass. This is why I prefer to make my own worlds. Nevertheless, pesky things like geography and laws will not prevent me from writing! Wish me luck…  
-Red

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The rotation of the earth is something which can not be stopped by an action as puny as hitting the snooze button. But science demands I at least attempt.  
Alas, the sun continues to rise and poke me irritatingly in my eyes. And the snooze button proves to be inadequate at even its designated task as the blaring alarm resumes beeping.  
I haltingly get up and make my way towards the showers, stumbling occasionally. Hanako's train doesn't leave till seven-thirty so waking up an hour early may seem odd, but Kenji refuses to use the shower before seven because of some ridiculous reason so I started getting up early to better avoid any unnecessary interactions.  
Stripping off my nightwear I absentmindedly realize I forgot to bring a change of clothes. Oh well. As I stand under the steaming water, my brain begins to slowly start. After a few more minutes in the shower I get out, functioning slightly better. As I look in the mirror, I notice that, despite still being weighed down with water, that one lock of hair still sticks up in a defiant fashion.  
I put my nightwear back on and make my way to my room. Still tired, but functioning, I change into a pair of khakis, a tan shirt. A notification on my phone draws my attention.

Dad: Your mom is excited to meet your girlfriend but won't be here tonight  
Hisao: that's fine. Remember to be at the train station at a quarter to nine.  
Dad: I know, don't forget anything at school

Huh, he sounds a bit like Shizune. Now that I think about it, the two of them are very alike. Before I think more about the bullet I dodged, a knock at my door draws my attention. I could tell it is Lilly by the sound. Funny how the way a person knock can say a lot about them. Or in Misha's case not knocking.  
"Hisao? Are you awake?"  
"I wouldn't go that far, no," I say opening the door, "but I'm up and ready to go, yes."  
Her smiling face wakes me up better than any sun can. Today she is wearing a creamy-yellow blouse that compliments a modest, plaid skirt.  
I lean forward and give her a gentle kiss. "Hisao, I've told you not to surprise me like that," she says flushed. "Yeah, but you don't mind, do you?" She shakes her head and I lean in again. This time however, Lilly raises a hand in front of her face. "There will be time for that after we see Hanako off." It sounded less like a rebuke and more like a promise.  
' _One I'll be holding her too._ ' I think as I sling my backpack over my shoulder.  
Lilly taps methodically in front of her while holding onto my arm. "Good morning Lilly, Hisao." A voice behind us says. Lilly smiles. "Good morning Hanako. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"  
"No." She shakes her head. "I was waiting for you."  
"Shall we be off then?"  
The cafeteria has few students and a drowsy atmosphere. The breakfast choices are varied but nothing catches my eye. I decide to be safe and order rice with eggs. Lilly chooses a bowl of oatmeal with raspberries and Hanako does the same. Lilly orders a cup of tea as well and takes a sip of before making a face and placing it down. "Not to your liking?" I laugh. "I simply am accustomed to less harsh flavours," she responds in a refined manner. The tea Lilly brews is much more mellow than the concentrated leaf juice they sell here. I still think of myself as a coffee person, but but I do tend to put ungodly amounts of cream and sugar into it. I suppose as long as the coffee is more than fifty percent of the mixture, it's still coffee.  
I glance at my watch. 7:19. "We should get going." I say.  
Lilly looks torn between having crappy tea or none at all. "My dad has a traditional tea set he got as a gift from his parents but never really uses. We can make some when we get to my house."  
Content with that option, Lilly hands Hanako her finished tray who quickly disposed of it. Lilly extends her cane and the three of us head towards the entrance. There, Akira is waiting with her usual attire, leaning on her fancy car. "Yo." She grins. "Don't you three look all grown-up and ready to see the big, scary, world." She sounds oddly proud.  
As we drive to the station, Hanako talks nervously and excitedly about her plans. "...And her cousin Shiori called her last night. He told Naomi he is fine with driving anywhere, but Natsume said anywhere past a 100 kilometer radius would be excessive, expensive, and t-time consuming." Wouldn't a 100 kilometer radius be um…wait…if the speed limit is about 100 kilometers an hour, and it's a round trip…  
"A hundred KM radius would be a two hour trip around, wouldn't it?" Akira chimes in. She smirks at me in the rearview mirror. I need to stop counting on my fingers. "I wish I had free hours like that. What does this guy do? Sounds like he's got weird hours. Also, I've been wondering about something; isn't Shiori a girl's name?"  
"Shiori is a fairly common name for boys as well," Lilly says, "I am fairly certain the spelling is different, however." Akira shrugs. "Still weird."  
"I-I don't know what he does, I t-think Naomi said he's a university first year." Hanako looks contemplative. "And she mentioned something about photography." It must run in the family. What with Naomi being the newspaper's photographer. I've never personally read any articles, but the pictures seem to be…very clear. They portray the target well, but I personally thought they look simple and amateur. Not the most eye-catching.  
Akira parallel parks between two cars that look uncomfortably expensive. Luckily, she proves to be adept at maneuvering the vehicle. "Ugh…" Akira gets out of the driver's seat quickly and stretches. "I can't stand being in the car for even a few minutes. They're too confining. I don't know how you'll deal with driving for hours at a time."  
I manage to lug my heavy suitcase from the trunk. Hanako looks around the station anxiously. "It's t-twenty after…d-do you t-think…". Her question hangs unspoken. I shake my head. "Naomi seems a bit ditzy, but Natsume can keep her in line and in track."

At the same time Akira shrugs. "I don't know these girls that well, so they may-."

"Akira!"

I turn to Lilly who has her hands in her hips. She glares at her sister and I feel goosebumps rise on my skin. "I know what you're doing. You've done it to our parents and myself enough. Hanako and her friends will be fine."

Completely lost, I look at Hanako who seems equally confused. "Um...um...Lilly? What…"

"Are you talking about?" I finish. Akira's face has taken on a mercury-red tint.  
"Frankly, I am disappointed in you!" Lilly ignores our questions. "You are the one who always says that independence is the most important thing, and here you are, trying to get us to back out of expanding our horizons." Lilly's voice is scolding and stern, but level.  
For a moment it looks like to me that Akira is going to start shouting. Instead she does something that catches all three of us off guard: she hugs us.  
"I'm just…just." The normally composed and eloquent woman struggles to find the right words as I struggle against her arm wrapped around my neck. "I'm just worried! The three of you are growing up so fast! I'm going to the other side of the planet and you're traveling all across the country!" She continues to ramble, and although a few Scottish, English, and what I think is Mandarin words pepper her otherwise fluent Japanese, I get the gist.  
She's getting empty nester's syndrome.  
I feel an odd mix of embarrassment at the public display of affection, sympathy for the loneliness of close friends leaving, and honoured at being considered this close to Akira. Mostly embarrassment.

"Akira." Lilly hugs her sister back and says in a soothing tone, "we'll be fine." Akira nods but doesn't let go.  
Akira's hug has begun to feel uncomfortably long. "A-Akira," Hanako's muffled voice came from from behind the woman's arm, "you c-can let go now."  
Lilly too begins to struggle against her sister's grip. "Really, we must be off."  
Letting go, Akira reaches into her pocket and dabs her eyes with a handkerchief. "I'm...I'm alright," she laughs sourly. "I guess it's hard to practice what you preach, huh? Seeing you guys grow up is great. But seeing you grown up is something else entirely…"  
Behind her I see a familiar blonde and brunette watching us with amusement. Akira looks sternly at Hanako and Lilly and I but the image is ruined by the red surrounding her eyes. "You three better not do anything I wouldn't do." Like give alcohol to minors? I, of course, keep this to myself.  
We assure her we'll be safe and she gives us all one last hug. She whispers something I can't catch into Lilly's ear that makes her blush. "Don't be childish," she swats her sister's arm who giggles. Neatly folding the elegant handkerchief back into a tidy square, Akira tucks it into her coat pocket and gets into her car with a wave. "I'll call you guys when I land. And have fun!" She speeds off into the sunrise in a cliché fashion.  
I look a the members of the newspaper club. "How long were you there?"  
Naomi laughs and tries to pass it off as a cough. "Not long."

"The entire time," Natsume says at the same time.

"I took a picture." Naomi holds up a sleek, polished, expensive looking camera. Probably the only clean thing she owns. Naomi's outfit is presentable enough, if crumpled and wrinkled. Her bright yellow top and black short-shorts match, but clash with her girlfriend's tidy cyan dress.  
A feminine computerized voice says over the speakers, "trains 172, 173, 174, and 175 are now ready for boarding. Please be ready at you present your pass. Thank you."  
"That's us!" Naomi chirps.  
The quirky pair begin heading towards their train. Hanako gives Lilly a tight hug. "I-I'll see you soon…"  
"In less than a week." I say. "Enjoy your trip!"  
Hanako pulls back and nods. "T-thank you. Good luck with your p-parents…"  
Something seems to be bothering her a little. Maybe she's more nervous than I thought? Hanako smiles brightly and any concern is swept away. Lilly grabs my hand. "We will be at the train station waiting for you."  
"Hey! Hanako!" Naomi shouts from by a train, drawing the attention of a few passerby. "You coming?"  
"Naomi, stop yelling."  
"I'm not yelling." She says offended.  
As Hanako joins them and boards the train with one last wave, I feel an odd sense of pride. The girl I met in the library would be completely at a lost in a situation like this. But change is normal. And this change is good.  
"Lilly?"  
"Yes Hisao?" I see her eyes looking slightly moist, but her smile is warm and genuine.  
"I…I think we're going to be fine."  
"As do I, Hisao."  
With a sense of finality, Lilly and I make our way to our own train. The train taking us to my home. Even though it's only been a few short months since I enrolled at Yamaku, and less than a year since I had my heart-attack, I wonder if I'll be able to recognize it? And I wonder if it will be able to recognize me. I certainly don't. In less than a year, I've gone from an unmotivated teenager with no ambition, to a dejected and hopeless cripple, and then into someone who has a plan and university I'm striving for.  
Change is something that occurs constantly. It is an omnipresent part of life. Always moving forward is the only way to keep up with it. And right now, I think it's heading in a good direction.  
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Extra:  
Akira's hug has begun to feel uncomfortably long. "A-Akira," Hanako's muffled voice came from from behind the woman's arm, "you c-can let g-go now."  
Lilly too begins to struggle against her sister's grip. "Really, we must be off."  
"J-just a little bit more."  
Oh my god. Is she crying? I can't see her face in the awkward, yet not at all unpleasant, position Akira has us in, but I hope to all the gods she is not crying. I can not handle crying women.  
"I-I am going to miss you guys so much!"  
Oh my god she's not just crying; she blubbering like a toddler! "It's alright, Akira." I try to console her. "We-."  
"It's not alright!" Her tears begin to drip onto my shoulder. Scratch that, not tears. Gross...it's all goopy.  
"My baby-sisters are just little kids! They're too young to have boyfriends and travel! I love you too much!"  
"Akira please," I contort my arm, into a position I which I can pat her reassuringly, "people are staring." Is she drunk?  
I hear a light sniffle to my left. "I-I-I l-love you t-t-too, Akira!" Hanako wipes her eyes with her palms and blinks quickly.  
Oh my god, now Hanako's crying. I look desperately to my right and see Lilly's blue eyes beginning to water as well. Somebody help me! I'm stuck between three crying girls!  
"Akira, please," I plead. "The trains are leaving!"  
But they ignore me and continue hugging, squeezing me between them.  
It's…  
Too…  
Cute…  
" _Hnnnng_ …" I collapse and darkness clouds my vision. The last thing I think is that this isn't such a bad way to die.

A.N:  
Thanks for reading this new chapter! Seriously though, I appreciate any feedback.  
Till next chapter.  
-Red


	5. Scene 5

Scene 5: Sudden Collisions & Consequences

A.N:

Chapter five: revised and re-uploaded. Let's jam. Does anyone know why this website erases all of the "mr."s? Like, I type ""Hello, ," I said politely." And it gets rid of the "Mr." and the "Smith"

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The train, to my surprise, is pleasantly uncrowded. At the very least, there are open seats for me and Lilly. I can only hope Hanako and her friends are as fortunate as us. Most of the passengers seem to be students. I spot several familiar faces I have seen around Yamaku. None of them look crippled. On board a train, with businessmen and elderly people, they look like normal students, on their way back home from school for summer break. None of them look ready to topple over at any moment. None of them look broken.

I shake my head, trying to clear it of the intrusive thoughts. Dark thoughts. They aren't broken. We aren't broken.

"Is something the matter, Hisao?" Lilly places her hand on mine. "You seem-." She is cut off by the train jolting forward. Righting herself, she resumes as though uninterrupted. "You seem...anxious."

I reach into my bag and take out a bag of crisps which crinkle loudly as I pull the top open. "It's been awhile since I've been back home so I guess I'm just nervous." It's been a while since I've been myself at home. I left it behind bitter and the relationships just as much so. "I miss my old friends," the admittance come out haltingly. Partially due to my inability to put my thoughts into words. Partially because of my chewing.

"I don't regret anything. Nothing at all," I say, trying to make that part clear, "I just miss how it used to be...simpler. I don't want them to just pretend nothing happened, but at the same time…"

"At the same time, you do."

"Yeah. Is that bad?"

Lilly reaches past my arms and takes a crisp and chews it thoughtfully. "When I found out that others have an ability called 'sight,' I was not jealous. It is not anyone's fault that most people can experience the world differently or more vividly than I."

She pauses. "But I did wish I had never been told. It would have been more simple to believe that the darkness I live in is shared by everyone. That constant nagging that says I'm missing out on so much of life wouldn't have existed. I believed that ignorance would have been bliss."

The train jostles along and fluffy, white clouds drift across the picture perfect sky. Buildings and fields pass outside the windows too fast to fully register. And yet, each time I look past the large pane of glass, there is a beautiful image that some people will never be able to see.

"But not anymore?"

She shakes her head. "Not anymore. Learning that there is such a fundamental part of life which I can not experience was a harsh lesson. But a critical one. It had both good and bad impacts on who I am today. And of course I wish that the bad parts were not among the consequences, but to ask for a painless lesson," Lilly laughs. Like light, tinkling bells. "It would be hypocritical of me to say the easiest route is not always the best one."

I consider what she says and struggle to apply her story to my situation.

"I...don't think I understand gets your saying."

"What I'm saying, is that it is not bad to wish that you can grow up without the pain of growing up. You can long for a simpler time without forsaking the present. And wanting to make amends does not mean you regret coming to Yamaku. I am sorry if I have a bit wordy, but I hope you can understand that you are a good person."

"I think I do understand. Just a little bit." Lilly smiles and I feel, for lack of better words, lighter.

"I also understand why you want to be a teacher. You'll be good at it." I say in an, only partially successful, attempt to lighten the mood.

A few more passengers enter and exit the bus and the sun has reached a respectable height in the sky. We had talked and sat in silence for awhile.

"What are your friends like?"

I appreciate her attempt to draw my mind away from its melancholy.

"My best friends' names are Takumi, Shin, and Mai. Most of the time the four of us hanged out at the arcade a lot. Sometime we would go to a water park; Takumi loves to swim. He also loves making bets. He can come off as a bit...of a delinquent, but is savant at math and swimming, so you should never accept his challenges or bets." In hindsight, not accepting his random and compulsive challenges may have helped me avoid a heart flutter for a while.

I try to think of a tactful way to describe Mai and Shin. "Shin is very intense. His family owns a barbershop but he wants to be a chef. Shin follows the recipes religiously and sometimes Mai and I tease him by asking him things like if soy sauce and wasabi would go well on hamburger or crab."

Lilly wrinkles her nose cutely. I guess it makes sense she wouldn't like spicy food. It could be like a sudden punch in the face if unexpectedly eaten. "He only yells at me and just kind of tolerates Mai's suggestions. Things like that and other painfully obvious reasons are why Takumi set up a betting pool in our class on when people think they'll get together."

"Hisao, you shouldn't gamble on the love lives of others." Lilly then immediately switches from reprimanding to curious. "That said, what happened?" Oh I see; it's fine to pry into people's personal lives as long as there isn't money at stake.

"When I left they were still flitting around each other," I say. "Mai asked Shin to come to one of her dance recitals. Just Shin. She's got three little siblings and just as many part-time jobs." Talking about the past seems to be helping me let go of it. I still want to see them again. But just to see where they stand. Make amends. And maybe find out if they're willing to be friends again.

And maybe now Takumi can be the one who mediates when Mai and Shin have a row about won this or that.

This line of conversation continues for the rest of the train ride and by the time we arrive I feel more determined than ever to see things through.

Once again I look out the window. The city skyline stands proud and tall. The sun blazes above it like a polished coin. To think that amazing sights and beauties like this occur every day and are taken for granted by those who have the opportunity to see them.

And to think that every day, there are people that can't see nature's daily masterpieces, even if they tried.

I lug my bags with some effort and Lilly effortlessly totes her luggage behind her on its frictionless wheels. After throwing away the empty, crumpled bag of crisps, I lead Lilly out the train's door, ready to face my friends and family as a changed person.

My father finds us before we spot him. With his carefully self-trimmed hair and matching black attire, he blends right into the other commuting workers. We exchange greetings and Lilly introduces herself composed as ever. "It is a pleasure to meet you Mister Nakai." She bows politely, but I can tell the busy station is beginning to agitate her. "We should grab something to eat," I say, following my dad out the sliding glass doors, "I can tell you about school. You said mom wasn't going to be home tonight?"

I help Lilly into the car and my dad sits in the driver's seat, deflating instantly with a large exhale. "They're running us on fumes, Hisao." He usually tries to appear professional when in public, and he used to at home as well, but that stopped when I found him "constructing a scale model of a blueprints he was given at work."

It sounded rehearsed and I could tell it was crap because, last I checked, his company dealt with buildings and not spaceships.

"Your mom said she was on her last project for a while and wanted to be able to spend summer with you." My dad pulls us out of the parking lot and onto the road.

"Where do you and your wife work?"

"My wife is in the local government. I'm a department head of an architectural company. Over there you can see a-," he winces. "Er…I designed an apartment complex." His eyes flick between the Lilly and me in the rearview mirror and the traffic.

"My my, you are certainly Hisao's father. There's no need to change your speech on my account." She smiles good naturedly and I recall the similar slips I made before. "That said, your work sounds very interesting. When do you think I will be able to meet your wife?"

"By tomorrow night." He sounds relieved. "There's a new shokudo near our house; does that sound good?" We both agree that would be great and my dad drives us off the highway.

I know of the restaurant he's talking about. The owner has a son a few grades younger than me. I don't really like him because he gave me some disgusting shrimp-peanut butter thing one time. I can only hope the chef of the resultant is better.

As we drive down the familiar streets I see familiar faces. The elderly couple who walks their dog every morning and afternoon. An old classmate who's infamous for gluing her hands to a desk in primary.

My dad parks the car. As he gets out, a little kid comes out of nowhere and bumps into him headfirst. He runs off again without an apology. "Are you alright Mister Nakai?" Lilly asks over his quiet cursing.

He assures her he's fine and slams the door shut bitterly. "Hisao never ran around like that."

Lilly grins mischievously. "And what exactly was he like as a child?"

"My wife has the best stories about Hisao," he says much to my horror.

In the afternoon, shopping districts like this are almost always crowded, but other than a few vendors and tourists, it seems like it's not getting much business.

A bright red awning emblazoned "Yukihira" in bold black lettering hangs above the otherwise modest exterior.

Behind a counter, the chef's red hair is swept back and his well toned arms seem to glide across the counter, stirring, mixing, sprinkling. Without looking up he shouts in a boisterous voice, "welcome to Yukihira's! Name's Joichiro Yukihira, please seat yourself." A warm flavour wafts through the air. Lilly wriggles her nose cutely.

Seating ourselves at an empty table, we grab the menus and sit in the tatami floor. While my dad flips through his menu, I read aloud some dishes I think Lilly may like.

"They really have a large selection," I say impressed. For such a dingy looking restaurant, the menu items look delicious. "Some of the things look kinda complex though, do you want something simple or…"

"Do they have furikake?"

"Only in our secret menu!" The chef seemingly appears from thin air. "Here's some tea and water. Have you decided on your orders yet?" I feel my heart skip a beat at the sudden noise and Lilly flinches.

My dad orders grilled salmon and I order the ramen. "What is this secret menu?"

I personally think it sounds shady; like a lingo the yakuza uses to move goods. "It's just a couple of dishes that I've thought up and haven't put on the selection yet. I think the rice dish turned out great so it's a good choice."

Lilly considers this. I notice the man does not seem put off or awkward about Lilly's telltale cane. "Then I think I will have that, please."

"Coming right up!"

The food comes quickly and is astoundingly good. My broth is hot and savory and my dad's salmon is "grilled perfectly!" Lilly finishes her meal before either of us, to my surprise, and somehow looks sheepish and unapologetic at the same time.

Despite the speed we wolfed down our meals at, the three of us are full and content. My dad pays for the meal and we leave the shokudo satisfied.

I check my watch and see that it's a bit after one. More people are beginning to stream through the shopping district.

"That was an excellent meal. Thank you Mister Nakai." Lilly loops her arm through mine and extends her cane.

"I'm glad you and Hisao like it. And please, all of Hisao's friends call me Hiroto. It's starting to get a little crowded. Would you mind waiting here while I grab the car and pull it around?" I say that's fine and he rounds the corner we came from. Lilly and me listen to the vendors shouting out their product and various customers of all ages haggling for lower prices. Business is picking up and the district seems to almost come alive with bustling people. My father's off handed mention reminds me of my high school friends.

"Hisao?" I whip my head to the left at the familiar voice. There, as if somehow summoned by my thoughts, a tan, broad shouldered teenager with blonde dyed hair and an ear stud stands dumbfounded. I notice he still wears those dumb shirts with random English words on them.

Beside him, a bulky brunette is wearing a surly expression and a white tank top that shows off his muscular arms, littered with small scars and nicks. Signs of growing up in a household filled with sharp implements and experimenting with kitchen knives as a child. The tiny girl with her brown hair in a ponytail and bright blue eyes stands looking slightly ecstatic and slightly pissed. Her lithe arms are crossed across her purple skull patterned tee and one small foot taps excitedly on the pavement.

An uncomfortable silence begins to grow.

"Hisao?"

My friends' gazes snap to Lilly who impossibly seems to notice. "Is," she pauses, "is someone there?"

My arm still linked with hers, I say, "um...hi, Takumi…Shin, Mai…it's been awhile."

Mai explodes.

Figuratively, of course.

"Since you became a recluse or since you left without a word?"

"Mai, please." Takumi still looks in shock.

"No!" Unfortunately it seems that her rage surpassed her joy. "I have three baby siblings, I don't need another. You can't just shut everyone out of your life, disappear, and pop back home, Hisao!" I cringe. This is not how I imagined re-meeting them. I think making amends might be more difficult than I thought.

"I get that you were upset, but for god's sake you threw a hissy fit for months! Grow up!" Each word tears into me deeper than I expected.

Because she's right. I was being a brat. There's no other way to put it.

After a few more minutes of her venting Lilly puts her foot down. "I will have to ask you to stop talking to my boyfriend is such a degrading manner."

Every part of that sentence seems to shock Mai. "Who's this princess?"

"I resent that statement," Lilly's voice has taken a scolding tone similar to the one she used on Akira.

"This is Lilly." I say at the same time. "I met her at school. And I would appreciate it if you didn't call her princess like that. And Lilly, she's right about me."

Mai raises her eyebrow and sighs. "Whatever," she rolls her eyes. Having said her piece she is content with whatever not-so-passive passive aggressions she may have smoldering for a few more days.

Shin, still towering over the rest of our group, clears his throat. "She's got a point though; why didn't you tell anyone?" And I gulp. Shin was never one to drop something after venting like Mai.

"Is 'because I was an idiot' an acceptable excuse?"

"No. It's not." Takumi, my best friend since middle school, cuts even deeper. "While you were brooding and not talking to anyone, the rest of us had lives outside of visiting an ungrateful, angsty brat in the hospital. So no, 'I was an idiot' doesn't cut it." Takumi looks me directly in the eye and I see he is completely sincere. I feel the tensions among everyone begin to rise.

"But, 'you _are_ an idiot' will work for me."

And like that the electricity between us dissolves.

The two of us crack up in laughter. "Alright, fine: you are an idiot."

Shin looks exasperated and Lilly looks confused. "I'm sorry I left without telling anyone."

I feel like I can breath better now. While impromptu and louder than I would have preferred, I'm glad I was able to apologize for shutting them out.

"So Hisao, a girlfriend, huh? How did that happen?"

"It's a long story." I shrug, ignoring his inflection.

Before Lilly and I can explain, my phone buzzes. "Hold on, it's my dad." I answer it.

"Hey, where-."

"Hisao, the car's been stolen."

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Extra:

"Princess?!" Lilly throws her cane down. "Oh it is on you obnoxious little ostrich!"

"Bring it, I'm not afraid to punch someone at a disadvantage." She redundantly makes a "come at me" gesture. "I'm gonna smack you so hard the silver spoon in your mouth'll go down your throat."

Lilly raises her fists. "You ignorant human personification of nails on a chalkboard!"

As I watch my blind girlfriend face the opposite direction Mai's full 140 centimeter fury, Takumi leans over and whispers, "it's good to have you back." And Shin nods. "I never thought you would get a girlfriend before me."

"Your vocal cords sound like over rosined viola strings!"

"Your hair is looks like a carambola!" Shin looks at my girlfriend and his hopefully-future girlfriend. "Should we…"

"Stop them?" I finish.

Takumi shakes his head. "Nah, Mai's like a chiwawa; all bark and no bite. And Lilly seems pretty harmless. But…I'm gonna say Mai pulls out first. Any bets?"

"No."

"No."

"Damn it."

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A.N:

Yay! New chapter, new characters! This is the longest chapter yet! That conversation was actually based on one I had with one if my friends (I was Takumi), but I cracked up in the middle of calling her an idiot.

Also, fun fact: the "Nao" (直) in "Naomi" can mean "straight." Kinda ironic. The things you learn when researching for a story…

For example: 1 Australian Dollar~80 Japanese Yen

In Japan, family owned restaurants are called "shokudos"

Being hit by lightning can give you chronic seizures

Liechtenstein and Palau have zero debt

And my personal favorite: there's an Ig Nobel Prize winning paper about a male mallard (a duck which has a disproportionately large, spiraling penis) copulating with another male duck…after the second one died…

Don't ask.

Anyway, once again, please review.

-Red


	6. Scene 6

Scene 6: A Supportive Family

A.N:

So I realized that for the extra in the last chapter, I could have done an epic and hilarious food-gasm to expand on the blatant reference (read: _ripoff_ ) to Shoukugeki no Soma. Oh well.

Also, sorry for taking so long. There are several causes for that, but I neither feel like typing nor you probably feel like reading these factors. But I have (hopefully) made up for this longest wait by having this be the longest chapter yet (hip hip hooray!). Anyway, enjoy and please comment what you liked or dislike.

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All things considered, I guess I can understand why the officer assumed Takumi was the thief at first. I'd wager that if Shin were still here, he too would be suspect.

I sometimes joked that Takumi looked like a gangster due to his "fashion" as he claimed it was. And Mai teased Shin pretty frequently about being almost two times as large and three times more imposing than either Takumi or me. If the "not-a-couple" couple had opted to come with us, the policemen would be baffled with having so many non-delinquent teenagers at the station. According to an officer, various groups of delinquents have been becoming more and more aggressive. He gave Takumi a suspicious glance when he said that, eyeing his dyed hair and ear-stud. Takumi, having had enough I guess, simply pocketed the little piece of jewelry.

That said, other than the four of us, the station is fairly vacant. No suspects or criminals or yakuza were being brought in and behind several counters only a few police just chatted casually. The late-noon laziness apparently affects even lawbreakers and enforcers.

While my dad described the car to an officer, Takumi rolled a lock of blond hair between his fingers, still offended. Despite his mathematical genius, his compulsive betting and abrasively sophomoric personality led to teachers and adults have labeling him as a delinquent since we were in primary school together.

"-and there is a new, unassembled, scale model set in the trunk."

"Toy…in...trunk." The police lady scribbled down the list of our stolen possessions.

My dad made to correct her but decided to just purse his lips slightly. "And a briefcase with several building blueprints."

Probably should have brought up your work documents before your toys, dad.

My dad told me about finding the empty parking space and how he looked around for a while in disbelief before calling me than the police.

He takes the chair beside me with a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry about this, Lilly. You probably didn't want to spend your first night in a station, did you?"

"It is perfectly fine," she says, perfectly calm. "You did not know your car would be stolen. I only hope that whomever is responsible for this theft is caught and properly punished." Her golden hair seems have an inner luminance brought forth by the midday sun's rays.

"Officer judgmental said that it's been happening for awhile." Takumi says still sulking. Get over it, man. "I heard some others in my class say something about their bikes and wallets being stolen. But a car is something else entirely. Those idiots are just asking to get caught."

"At least we have insurance," I say in an attempt to lighten the blow. But I know that it's pretty futile. Sending me to Yamaku and my new medications took a big chunk out of my parents' budget. I feel the weight of hundreds of thousands of yen pile on my back. A weight I realize my parents must've been carrying for some time. I want to pay them back. Somehow. Arrhythmia might limit what part-time jobs I can get, but I'm sure there's something I can do.

Takumi snaps his fingers under my nose. "Hisao, your introspecting again."

"I don't introspect." I say offendedly.

Lilly giggles quietly and Takumi rolls his eyes.

"Well, I'm ready to go home, do we have a way to get back?" I say in a futile attempt to save face. My dad says with a nod, "I called Aya. She's on her way here now."

"You called whom?" Lilly asks and Takumi gives her a weird look at her formal language.

"My mom. I thought you said she was busy," I ask my dad. "She is. Work has been stressful lately, so try to be an accommodating and supportive son. Okay?"

I blush slightly and Takumi mockingly kicks me from his chair across from mine. Provoking me seems to have successfully gotten him past his hurt own pride. "Yeah Hicchan," Takumi says with his signature grin, "you don't want you mommy to feel unappreciated." I make to kick him back but my dad peers at me over his glasses so I stop. Takumi sticks his tongue out at me. How very mature of him.

"Hicchan?" Lilly's teasing doesn't sting nearly as badly as Takumi's. He's always been good at finding people's buttons; and even better at pushing them.

"Misha was hardly the first to call me that. My mom was the first." And I had hoped the last. But something about my name just made people want change it to the unfortunate sobriquet that is "Hicchan."

Lilly nods sagely. "I see. Well, despite the circumstances, I am glad I will be able to meet your mother so swiftly. We have much to discuss."

"What?" Takumi raises an eyebrow gleefully. "You wanna ask for Hicchan's hand in marriage?"

My dad coughs roughly into his hand but I suspect he's really laughing. "It's a tad soon for that. Regardless, I do think it is a good idea for Aya and Lilly to be acquainted. You said you wanted to hear about Hisao when he was younger? She should be here soon."

A grimace and a groan of exasperation is held back just barely by sheer mentor fortitude.

"Indeed. And do not worry: I will not be asking for Hisao's hand just yet," I wince at her willingness to participate in Takumi's shenanigans, "but there are some important parts of our relationship I wish to discuss."

A cold sense of dread casts a dark shadow over me. Things are moving way faster than I anticipated. I'm relieved that my friends forgive me, even if they're still mad, so meeting them right off the bat turned out fine, I guess.

But if Lilly wants to drop _that_ bomb on my mom on the very first afternoon I come back, on top of the car being stolen, I doubt my mom will be the most understanding. "Er-Lilly," I begin cautiously. I don't want to insinuate any sense of obtuseness on her behalf. That could instigate a rather volatile reaction. Besides, Lilly wouldn't just decide to do something like that now, would she? She understands that my mom would be stressed at the moment, right?

"Hiroto, Hisao?" My mom's voice is clear and projected strongly like a floor speaker in the Shugiin.

Now? Of course she shows up right now. I bet Sod and Murphy are proudly shaking hands in the afterlife at my expense right about now.

My mom does look pretty spent. A subtle about of makeup fades the lines under her eyes almost completely, but her scleras are still slightly bloodshot and tired. But still, like a natural politician, she demands all the attention in the room. While no longer what most people would call a woman in her prime, Aya Nakai still has brimming energy and will definitely have her charisma for another forty-four years. A sense of gravity always seemed to radiate from my her, greatly overshadowing whatever grey streaks may be popping up here and there.

I get up. "Hey mom, it's great to see you." I give her a hug but she just barely wraps her arms around me. As though she's worried I might shatter if squeezed to hard. I grimace slightly. It makes sense that my parents haven't gone through the same epiphanies as I have over the last few months. They may still see me as damaged.

Which I guess I am. In a way. Physically. I'm getting better. Psychologically, that is. Or at least, I think I am.

Stepping back my mom looks me up and down and nods approvingly. "It's good to see you've been able to take care of yourself while away." She smiles, turning to

Lilly. "And this must be Lilly! I'm glad I get to meet you sooner rather than later; however, I do wish the circumstances were better than this."

"I am delighted to meet you so soon as well, Miss Nakai. If similarly regretful for the reasons." Lilly stands and bows. "I hope to get acquainted with you."

My mom's eyebrows rise ever so slightly and her back straightened instinctively. "How polite!" She exclaims in a considerably more cheery voice, "I must say it's very refreshing to meet someone so earnest after all the distasteful individuals I am required to work for."

I can practically see the bonds forming between them.

' _It's good,_ ' I think as we head out onto the quiet street, Lilly and my mom talking about mom's work and Lilly's family and our relationship, ' _that they are getting along._ ' But I hope they're chitchat stays away from the certain parts of our relationship.

"Where'd Takumi go?" My dad asks.

Huh. A reasonable question. I look around, confused. He was just here a few minutes ago. When did he sneak off? How _could_ have he sneaked off? Usually his outfit and hair is so loud you experience a Doppler effect when he passes by.

"He must have had to go." I say confused. At least this means he won't be here to witness any potential disasters.

"He mumbled something about needing to go and left about when Aya arrived." Already on a first name basis, Lilly? Maybe I didn't have anything to worry about after all. All thoughts about Takumi's sudden ninja capabilities disappear at the sight of Lilly getting along and laughing with my mom.

Of course she would be able to charm her way into my dad and mom's hearts.

Watching my mom and girlfriend chat amicably, I see a fresher energy seem to glow from my mom. I've seen that look on her face before. I don't remember where, not that it really matters. If she likes Lilly then maybe she'll be more accepting of us sleeping together.

Whenever it is that we tell her that.

When we get to the car, my mom opens the door for Lilly and I help her find the seatstrap. My mom's car is considerably newer than my dad's and according to them both, also more expensive. I honestly can't tell the difference between most cars other than some are more streamlined.

"I'm going to have to drop the three of you off at home," my mom's eyes flick between the road and the clock in her car, "work is still hectic and they barely consented to letting me leave for ten minutes."

"Of course, Aya. There's no need to worry, we'll be fine." My dad looks at me in the rearview mirror expectantly.

"Um, yeah. I was just going to show Lilly around the neighborhood. You can take your time at work; we'll be here all summer." I smile awkwardly. Great job cheering her up, Hisao. Real talent with words. Obviously the son of a politician.

But she smiles and says she'll try her best to finish as soon as possible. "Lilly and I still have many things we wish to parley." The two of them laugh but I, however, am at a loss. My dad seems to be in on the joke but doesn't find it as amusing as the two of them.

"Welcome to our humble abode, Lilly." My mom pulls the car in front of the large, two-story building I call home.

It's weird seeing it after so long. Because I never really left the hospital, I never got to return home after the heart attack and it's been almost a year. Almost like another piece of my past I need to make amends with.

Well, no, not exactly. It's an inanimate building. It's not like there's any guilt or conflict I've developed associated with my house that I need to resolve. But I did grow up in this neighborhood mostly independent because of my parents' jobs, so I having that self-sufficiency stripped away definitely contributed to how I reacted to finding out about my life's fragility. And seeing it unchanged after so many months is slightly jarring compared to how fast so many other parts of my life changed.

My parents worked hard to be able to afford a nice house. It's a simple but modern home with two bedrooms and guest room. The flawless tile front reflects the sun with a sharp sheen. My dad must have powerwashed it earlier this week.

Never one to be idle, mom gives me and my dad a quick peck on the cheek before driving off back to work.

"Your mother is a very admirable woman, Hisao."

"Thanks, yeah she is." We head inside and my dad departs for his office. Something about needing to call his work and tell them about the work materials that were in the car.

Leading Lilly into the kitchen and, remembering my promise, rummage around until I find my dad's tea set. It's a old fashioned clay set with little serpentine dragons on it.

Lilly runs her fingers over one of the small cups, tracing the designs gently and nodding approvingly. "Am I correct to assume this is not a Japanese set?"

"Chinese," I say impressed. Honestly if it wearing for the mix-&-match dragons design I wouldn't be able tell it was any different from the kind Lilly has at school. "My grandparents vacationed there once and brought this back."

I turn on the stove and wait for the water to boil.

"Does your father brew a specific tea with this?"

"He doesn't really drink tea that often," I say as I unpackaged a little clay animal from the tea set's box, "why?"

Tracing a slim finger across the high handle of the pot, Lilly smiles. "This, I believe, is a Yixing set. The clay of Yixing teapots soak in small amounts of the tea brewed in it. After a while, the inside can develop coat of sorts, so it's best to brew a specific tea."

Huh. That also explains why my granddad was so adamant about not using soaps to clean the pot.

"My dad sometimes serves some to guests. I'll go ask him what kind he makes."

Down the hall, in my dad's office I hear him arguing over the phone.

"-no way to know that." His voice is curt and frustrated but polite and controlled. The way he would talk to me when I was a kid if I did something stupid and we both knew we both knew but I wouldn't say anything.

"I doubt it, but I can try."

Pause.

"No, on my desktop. That was not in the stolen vehicle."

Pause.

"Yes, much more...No, don't think-."

Pause.

"Hello, sir."

My dad's voice takes on a more subservient tone.

"Yes, sir. Of course, thank you, sir."

I wait for a few moments after he hangs up before knocking on the sliding door frame. "Hey dad, you know that tea set you use for guests?"

Without missing a beat he switches instantly back from business mode to father mode and nods. "The one grandpa got from China?"

I don't think he knew I was listening and, other than a little disapproval at my increasing number of caffeine sources, the conversation goes smoothly.

The water begins to boil right as I enter the room and I see that Lilly has so read out the set immaculately on the table.

"He said white tea," I say as I turn off the heat. I wonder if I should tell Lilly about what I heard. Maybe she'd would be able to make heads or tails of the half-conversation I had overheard.

No, I've vented enough of my problems and musings on her. I'm sure it's nothing my parents can't handle, regardless.

Lilly nods pensively. "Then we should let the water cool a little before steeping the leaves."

I grab the bag labeled "white" in between the oolong and green from the cabinet.

Lilly instructs me on the proper way to steep the leaves and pour a small amount shortly afterwards "to clean the teapot." I'll just trust her knowledge on tea ceremonies. I think I remember my dad doing something like this.

The cups are tiny and look more like ceramic shot glasses. I finish mine in a single gulp. Lilly sips hers more elegantly and when she finishes I begin to pour us both another cup.

"Oh hey, there's an upright stalk in your cup." A supposed prediction of good fortune to come.

"You are not one to believe such superstitions, at you Hisao?" Lilly chides teasingly.

I shake my head out of habit then say, "no, but I think fortune isn't something I would ever turn down." Especially considering the fiasco my parents may be having at work. I wonder about what kind of trouble my dad will have from losing his computer.

If he needs my support, he'll ask. I just have to let him know I'm willing to support him.

It is always good to have a family who's there for you.

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Extra:

"So..." I say in attempt to lower the practically palpable tension. The station is quiet and the mood is somber. "How's life been lately?"

"Life has been just absolutely fantastic, Hisao," my dad scoffs sarcastically, "less than a year ago I got a call from your school saying you had a heart attack."

Seven months is just a little bit farther back than what I meant, but okay.

"Then a doctor told me my only son may very likely die before I do from a disease with no cure but extremely expensive medication that barely helps."

It helps somewhat...if I remember to take it.

"Shortly following that news, I learned that the only way for my child to have anything that remotely resembles a normal teenage life outside of a permanent sojourn in the hospital ward is to send him to a, once again rather pricey, high school lying just a little bit left of ass-nowhere, all alone and friendless because he isolated himself from all of his peers in a fit of teenage angst."

I just found out I had a terminal disease. Some teenage angst seems pretty justified to me. Besides, I'm over it for the most part.

"And then, after he seems to have finally recovered, and after almost three months of no contact with neither me nor my wife, out of a field so far left it loops all the way around to the center, my god damned car gets stolen!"

After he finishes his little tirade, my dad inhales finally and deflates ever so slightly.

I guess maybe he needs a supportive son, too. A little "thanks for helping me through this," or "I'm certain things will get better," or "I love you, dad." Definitely, do not bring up the fact that "-Lilly and I are having sex." Do _not_ bring up that.

God damnit, Hisao. Why did you say that out loud?

I wonder if Hanako is having a better start to the summer break.

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A.N:

I looooove my new laptop. It's lightyears ahead of my old one. I'm so happy with it!

But I am pissed at myself. I've been so busy and this story is taking too long! I know where it's going, it is going to be absolutely fantabulousome, but it is taking six and a half eternities to get there. Whatever, I'll get there….eventually…

Please review!

-Red


	7. Scene 7

Scene 7: Journey and Destinations

A.N:

So I wrote this chapter in Hanako's POV, didn't like it, then decided to try this in a different character's point-of-view. So I hope you like this little peek into the brain of our resident energetic, epileptic, lesbian.

My god, rereading what I've got so far is traumatic. I rushed through the first few chapters so the brain-story didn't translate into the paper-story right. I may fix that later.

Whatever the case, please please review! I feel like I'm talking (writing?) to a wall here.

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"Bless you."

"T-thanks." The quiet girl seated across from me wipes petite nose embarrassedly and takes the tissue I hand her.

"You know, the phenomena that caused people to sneeze when they look at bright lights like the sun is called the photic sneeze reflex," Natsume says.

I lean back in my seat as far as I can recline. "I heard people sneeze when there are people talking about them."

"Yeah, but that's really stupid."

"You're really stupid." I say with confidence. An excellent retort, if I do say so myself.

Natsume shakes her head in defeat and in an attempt to preserve some dignity takes out her laptop, typing furiously. Probably making a schedule for our trip split into thirty-second intervals. I love her but damn can she be a control freak.

I take out Shiori's camera and give it another once over. Clean, silver, and shiny. Just like how he gave it to me. I'm no expert on photography, but for a fourteen-grand camera it doesn't look like much. Certainly nothing like the professional cameras Shiori and his stormchasing buddies used.

I wonder why Hanako freaked when she figured out Shiori's a guy? Maybe she really did read that manga I leant her.

Yeah right. Even if she did, Hanako's got a good head on her shoulders. She wouldn't think that rom-com cliché stuff is real. I think.

Maybe I should have started her off with a different series.

Whatever the case, Shiori knows the seizure procedure for obvious reasons, so there shouldn't be too many problems there. And Natsume's meds'll help with her arthritis.

"How long have we been on this train?" I kick with my sleeping legs to get some blood flowing into them.

"About an hour," Natsume glances at the corner of her laptop, "there is still roughly three hours left. You should just take a nap or something."

I'm not tired, just bored. I rummage through my bag until I find a box of rice crackers

"I thought trains were fast. Why does it take so long to get from Sendai to Kyoto?"

"The railways aren't straight," Natsume says without even looking up.

"So then I guess it's appropriate we're taking the train," I say teasingly and she rolls her eyes.

"Your cousin, Shiori right?" I nod as Natsume reaches into my lap and regrettably steals a handful of my crackers. "Is he as...animated as you?"

"Nice word choice there, babe," I elbow her gently, "but yeah, nah. Shiori's a mature, kind-hearted, intelligent, young man." Thank god for that. "He's a bit like you, Natsume."

"Thank-."

"In that he was born fifty years old."

She breaks one of her stolen goods in half and throws it at me pettily. I expertly catch it in my mouth and Hanako applauds my dexterity while Natsume swoons over my display of prowess.

"I'm just joking," I say picking crumbs out of my hair, "but he is perfectly capable of hosting our little holiday."

A small lock of Natsume's brown hair falls in front of her glasses as she laughs innocuously at my expense. All joking aside, she is a lot like Shiori. If Shiori was more willful. And more outgoing. And a hot girl. And had arthritis.

Okay, they're both smart and have brown hair.

And they both give me grief if I borrow their stuff, even when I ask first! I had to pull all my favours with Shiori to get him to lend me one of his many cameras. Stingy son of a bastard.

The conversation turns to what sights are the priorities. Hanako's just eager—I think, reading that girl is still tricky—to go anywhere, but The Golden Temple and Nara Park are the main destinations I have my eyes on. Natsume says on her last visit she never got to see Myoshinji temple, which I personally think sounds like a temple preaching about the greatness of moody teenagers. I, of course, kept this to myself.

"No, it's a complex of Rinzai Zen temples." Natsume's mismatched eyes flash into a mild level of her "debate mode" and her hand reflexively reaches for another cracker to throw at me but, fortunately, there are none left.

Fortunately for her. Not fortunate for me. For Natsume.

"N-Naomi, you st-still have some crumbs in your hair."

"Thanks Hana."

For a while, the two of us shoot some arguments for our respective destinations with Hanako acting as a mediator and giving some input here and there. I win spectacularly, my flawless reasoning coils around her petty argument like a dragon relentlessly strangling its prey.

We settle on first visiting the Myoshinji temple, which is actually the biggest school of Rinzai Buddhism in Japan.

Natsume has always loved pointless little facts.

"It doesn't really matter what place we see first." I pull out a magnetic portable chess board and begin setting up the pieces. "Casa de Cináed has a prime central location."

"C-casa...w-what?" Hanako gives me a weird look, but quickly fixates on the black and white game pieces.

"Shiori's last name," I wave hand dismissively and make my first move.

Natsume, who figured out watching me win a game of chess is far more interesting than a silly laptop, says "that doesn't sound Japanese." Her breath tickles my ear, distracting me from my complex strategy.

"Haven't I told you? Me mom be from Scotland, wee lass." I begin to make preparations to castle, my go to chess opening. Natsume rolls her eyes at my faux accent. She probably doesn't think I can see her, but I can.

"Lilly's half Scottish. She can speak it too."

"Really? Well I can't. I just lived in Japan, but Shiori moved to live in Scotland with his dad when he started middle school for, um, reasons." Oops. Bad move. Hanako seems too focused on the game to read into my poker face and see if my move was a bluff or not.

"C-check." Hanako's knights are always her favorite piece to zip all over the board with.

"Are you trying to distract me."

Hanako shakes her head. "No. I-I'm just c-curious." I remove my king from danger, for if the king doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow? Although it does eliminate my ability to castle. Wait, I could've intercepted with my knight. Damn.

"Well anyway, he just moved back um...five years ago? No four." I stifle a slight giggle remembering how happy Shiori was to be returning to Japan after seven years. He definitely missed his favorite cousin. "Shiori was relieved because he was using his middle name, a Scottish name, while with his dad," I manage to squeeze my queen through my forces and plant her onto Hanako's side of the field, "and he's embarrassed by his middle name."

"Em-embarrassed?" Hanako asks tentatively, moving a bishop with equal hesitance.

"It's Ainsley."

Natsume raises an eyebrow. "What wrong with Ainsley?"

I laugh with more than a little guilt as I take Hanako's Bishop and place her in check. "I teased him as a kid because Shiori is a girl's name. Then in Scotland, to not stand out any more than his accent would make him, he went by Ainsley; which he didn't know is in the same boat as Shiori." He sent me a couple of emails on first week about the "vitriolic torment he was suffering." He was always kinda weird. But it was middle school. And kids do tend to latch onto anything or anyone they can potentially target.

"Ainsley is...a girl name?"

I clap my hands with a sharp whack and fire off a pair of finger guns. "Bingo!" She flinches slightly then promptly places me into check again. Getting aggressive, are we?

After exchanging a few more pieces, Hanako manages to forces a stalemate. Who knew having two queens had a downside?

"Why d-do you try to c-castle each time?" Hanako begins resetting the board as I'm forcibly removed from my seat across from her by a certain heterochromatic vixen. I shrug, but seeing the two other girls already engrossed in their games, then simply relax in my seat and enjoy the scenery rushing by. I hope Shiori has been doing good at college. High school was rough for the both of us, I guess. Maybe Inoue-Cináeds just have bad luck, what with him flip-flopping between Japan and Scotland and me having generalized epilepsy. But things seem to have settled down for us both now.

I alternate between playing on my handheld and flinging crumbs at Natsume but after one hits Hanako, she politely asks me to stop and I return to my game. After a while I begin having some trouble focusing on slaughtering the undead and tune back into the real world.

"You're going to go blind from all that screen time, you know."

I twist my neck to work out the kinks. The resulting crack is surprisingly loud. "I'll be fine." I was waving my hand dismissively. "Hanako, do you want to give it a go?" I offer my vita to the ever so shy enigma.

"What game is it?" Hanako asks.

I flip the vita around showing Hanako the gore filled screen. "God of War."

It takes me a few nanoseconds to realize this could end poorly. Hanako however takes the game from me and looks it over a bit. "No, t-thank you."

I can see Natsume filing away this little tidbit of information into her database.

"I got other games too."

"You don't need constant screen time to entertain yourself." Natume's eyes are firmly attached to her computer.

"Says the girl glued to her laptop. Miss pot? The kettle called; she says you're black!"

"I," she counters, in a self-righteous tone, "happen to be doing summer school work."

"Um."

The two of us stop our conversation and look Hanako. "H-how…" She fidgets cutely in her seat, as if nervous to ask her question.

I'm reminded of when I first saw the shy girl in class. I'm pretty talented at reading people and I always thought the quiet, dark haired girl seemed like she wanted to socialize but didn't for whatever reason. Or rather, for pretty obvious reasons.

Scars aren't uncommon at Yamaku, per say. Fire, electricity, animals, accidents and otherwise. Like the students that are here because they're simply at risk from hereditary diseases or the ones that are at Yamaku because they're interested in certain career paths, these types of students aren't uncommon.

I used to think Hanako was going to open up a long time ago. And maybe even go to a normal school, if her burns don't cause some problem.

But she never did.

"I-I've wanted to ask…"

"Yeah?" I keep my voice normal and casual. That Lilly girl got her to open up a little, but now that she's been dating the new guy, Hanako's been spending a lot more time than usual in the library. I wish Natsume recruited her a long time ago. The newspaper club always needs new perspectives, and she takes to computers like a fish to water.

"H-how did you t-two become f-friends? And…um-m-meet."

I slouch in my seat. "I don't like talking about it." It's one of few embarrassing moments of my life. Right up there with my habit of going for walks around the campus at night to clear my head for writing...and forgetting to close my door when I get back.

My copy of Manhunt 2 was stolen, _not_ "misplaced."

"O-oh…"

Come on. At least put up a little resistance. Now I feel guilty. Not guilty to bring up the embarrassing fiasco that was my first conversation with Natsume, but guilty. "It...um...it was in middle school." I could go further into detail, but I refuse!

"She thought I was cosplaying an anime character."

Natsume, you traitorous traitor!

"She said my hair was off and that Haptism's left eye is silver, not brown." Natsume brings up the cringe-inducing memories with perfect recall and detail. "Then she said my 'coloured contacts' look real and asked where she could get red ones because her current ones bother her eyes. Needless to say, I was confused by the sudden, gushing, fangirl."

"Y-you wear contacts?"

"No. Maybe. Yes." I never liked my eyes. Natsume has a brown eye paired with a gold one and they're both attractive, and Shiori's are adorable. But mine are so boring.

Equal parts annoyed and endeared by Natsume's urge to always be right and expose the truth, I reluctantly put away my games. "If we're gonna be talking about the past I may as well pitch in," I say, determined to match Natsume in every embarrassing story. A truly Herculean feat considering her borderline photographic memory. Also, perhaps not that necessary; Natsume cares too much about the unadulterated truth to fib for appearance's sake.

We chat about how Natsume and I met, became friends, broke up, and how Natsume became a shut-in mess without me, binge watching entire series online until I came back and recruited her into the club.

Hanako drinks up the information. It's almost like she's trying to compensate for lost time. Which makes sense; every moment not spent with me is a tragic waste.

Although she relaxes and loosened up as the chitchat goes on, I notice that whenever the discussion steers into the direction of Hanako she skillfully redirects the subject back to either Natsume or me. It was subtle at first but became noticeable after a few times. Nevertheless I learn all other kinds of information of Hanako as a person, if not of her background.

"And you like to experiment with cooking?"

She nods with a smile that is almost diabetic-ly sweet. "It turns out really well most of the time." She takes a bite out of her lunchbox's colorful ensemble. "I c-cooked a lot when I-I was younger."

"I know of a good cooking manga," I nonchalantly say in an attempt to get the reclusive girl into more hobbies. Reading, writing, and cooking are great but not exactly conversation starters in the technological age. The only questions you get from that are "like what?" And then the conversation just plummets.

"Guys! Look!" I tap Natsume on her shoulder rapidly, "I can see the Kyoto Tower!" The Kyoto skyline ripples in the distance from the Japanese summer heat. I look behind me and see Hanako's eyes practically shining in awe.

"Built in sixties, 131 meters tall, 380 million yen," Natsume rattles off the facts like she's reading them from a pamphlet and Hanako boosts her ego by expressing how impressive it is.

The train comes of a gradual stop and opens its door. The wave of heat from outside muscles its way past the air conditioning and hits us like a truck. I wonder if Hana is hot wearing a jacket and jeans in this weather. Does red absorb or reflect heat? Do colours reflect heat?

I reach my arms towards Hanako. "My legs're asleep. Help me up?"

Natsume swings her bag around one shoulder and brushed her hair from in front of her glasses. "Twelve twenty-five. Precise and perfect."

"Shiori should be waiting for us at the entrance," I say as we navigate through the busy station. Hanako's pace slows a tad before picking back up again. Her knuckles are white on her suitcase. I wonder the problem is. I doubt she thinks he's a psycho of a perv or something. Maybe she just doesn't like men? Naw, she's fine with that tall guy. And I don't think she's worried about intruding because I got completely different vibes from, her outburst. So if she's not scared of being intrusive, ravished, or murdered then maybe Hanako is-.

"Naomi!"

I'm abruptly dragged from my mind back into reality. "What? Yeah, sure. What?"

I'm met with three different shades of concern. "Something the matter? You doing okay, Naomi?"

"Oh um, nah, yeah. I'm fine. Just spacing out a bit. What'd you want?" I feel bad for worrying them.

"If you say so." She examines me closely and sighs. "We don't know what your cousin looks like."

"Right," that would make me an important part in finding him, "he would be nearby. Anyway, he's pretty tall and umm...mundane looking? Just look for a dorky, awkward looking college student." I glance around as I talk then zero in on a head of dark brown hair bobbing above the crowd near the entrance. "Shiori!"

I drag my bags behind me and half walk-half run and weave through the swarms of, rather rude and pushy, people then wrap my arm around his neck with a little jump. "It's been ages!" I say rubbing my knuckles in his hair. It's shorter than when I last saw it, but still as soft as a kitten's belly.

"Please stop that." He struggles halfheartedly to escape my bind attack. "And I saw you on Christmas."

Natsume and Hanako catch up, the former being slightly out of breath and the latter practically twirling as she looks around the station at every possible sight.

"Naomi," she sits down on her suitcase and kneads her kneecaps gently "don't just run off. Hello. I'm Natsume Ooe, thank you for letting us use your house for the week." She extends her hand then retracts it seeing his incapability to shake through my professional headlock.

"Shiori Cináed. I'm happy to help," he says relenting to my grapple and hunching over in an awkward position.

"She's my girlfriend," I say proudly, finally releasing Shiori, "and this's Hana. Hanako, my girl friend."

"I-I," Hanako stutters. Shiori looks at her and patiently waits for her to finish her sentence. "Wanted to...thank you...f-for all of y-your help...with t-this trip," she eventually mumble out.

That was the longest sentence she's ever said in a first meeting with someone. Shiori! How will you respond to what was possibly the cutest thank you in all of Japan, if not _**The World**_?

"It's no trouble," he says already making his way back to the doors.

Well that was anticlimactic. You're so boring, Shiori! Hanako nods then scuttles behind Natsume looking flustered yet happy with her thanks and we stroll out to the front with our bags in tow.

Shiori's car is a muted grey and pretty nice looking. Pretty modern looking too. I wonder if his dad paid for it. Shiori takes out the keys and with a light chirp the back opens up. "I can put your suitcases in the trunk."

"Thanks, Jeeves."

He begins hauling our bags into the back and sighs. "I'm not going to be your butler, Naomi. I'm-."

"Our chauffeur," I finish for him.

"I…yeah, sure, fine." Though his voice remains its normal, impassive tone, I can sense his exasperation. He's such a pushover, I think gleefully.

"I get shotgun."

"What?" I glance at Natsume, who's already in the front seat. "No! You can't steal shotgun _then_ call it." But I relent and seat myself behind her so I can kick her seat if I want. Oh, but my shoes are dirty. Shiori might not want sneaker treads on his seats.

"Thank you," Shiori says as he takes the last bag from Hanako.

Hanako sits behind the driver's seat and buckles herself in before looking at me. Right, safety strap. I tap my fingers on my lap impatiently as Shiori shifts our luggage around.

After about five hours of waiting for our driver to finish playing Tetris with our bags I turn around and see him just standing there looking to see if there's any gaps and rubbing his forearms through his shirt's thin sleeves. "Come on! It doesn't matter if they roll around, Shiori."

But he continues to faff about for a bit. "I need to make sure I can see out the back."

Finally having waited long enough I lean forward and honk the horn twice.

"Just get in the car, Shiori!" Brilliant reference. Good job Naomi. "To temple Shinji!"

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Extra:

"And he's embarrassed by his middle name."

"Embarrassed?" Hanako asks tentatively, moving a bishop with equal hesitance.

"It's Jugemu Jugemu Goko-no surikire Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyomatsu Unraimatsu Furaimatsu Kuunerutokoro-ni Sumutokoro Yaburakoji-no burakoji Paipopaipo Paipo-no-shuringan Shuringan-no Gurindai Gurindai-no Ponpokopino Ponpokonano Chokyumei-no Chosuke."

Natsume raises an eyebrow. "What wrong with Jugemu Jugemu Goko-no surikire Kaijarisuigyo- no Suigyomatsu Unraimatsu Furaimatsu Kuunerutokoro-ni Sumutokoro Yaburakoji-no burakoji Paipopaipo Paipo-no-shuringan Shuringan-no Gurindai Gurindai-no Ponpokopino Ponpokonano Chokyumei-no Chosuke?"

I laugh, with more than a little guilt as I take Hanako's Bishop and place her in check. "I teased him as a kid because Shiori is normally a girl's name. Then in Scotland, to not stand out any more than his accent would make him, he used Jugemu Jugemu Goko-no surikire Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyomatsu Unraimatsu Furaimatsu Kuunerutokoro-ni Sumutokoro Yaburakoji-no burakoji Paipopaipo Paipo-no-shuringan Shuringan-no Gurindai Gurindai-no Ponpokopino Ponpokonano Chokyumei-no Chosuke; which he didn't know is in the same boat as Shiori." He sent me a couple of emails about the "vitriolic torment he was suffering." He was always kinda weird. But it was middle school. And kids do tend to latch onto anything or anyone they can potentially target.

"Jugemu Jugemu Goko-no surikire Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyomatsu Unraimatsu Furaimatsu Kuunerutokoro-ni Sumutokoro Yaburakoji-no burakoji Paipopaipo Paipo-no-shuringan Shuringan-no Gurindai Gurindai-no Ponpokopino Ponpokonano Chokyumei-no Chosuke is...a girl's name?"

"No. It's just a **fucking** weird name."

The train goes silent for a little bit.

"His mom was a big rakugo fan."

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A.N:

My _god_ this chapter got away from me! I thought I was riding a cable car but it was a fuckmothering bullet train strapped to a goddamned rocket ship being flung through a mass accelerator!

Tl;dr: The words just kept coming. Which has its pros and cons. Please comment what you thought fell into either category.

-Red


	8. Scene 8

Chapter 8: Tranquil Entropy

A.N:

Hi. Yeah, wow, it's been awhile. No, my computer hasn't bombed again; I've just been bored, busy, and uninspired. Especially since I'm not, you know, getting any feedback, which was kindathe main reason I decided to do FanFiction in the first place.

So…yeah, review or something, please. Pretty please?

Also, I apologize if I've messed anything geographical, transit, or cultural wise about Kyoto. I've never been there. Deal with it.

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Kyoto is a beautiful city. As the original capital, before Meiji moved it to Tokyo, it has touches of ancient and modern charms blended together. The busy afternoon is a sharp contrast to the sleepy little town we left this morning.

Hanako sits behind the driver seat and looks out the window with an enraptured expression. Looking to my right I can see tourist kiosks dotting the landscape, though none of them can approach, let alone match, the amount or accuracy of information of the girl in front of me. Our conversation at one point turns to souvenirs for our family and at another what the sleeping arrangements will be. Shiori says his house is large enough for all three of us to get a futon and he is willing to sleep on the couch.

Our otherwise silent driver rests his left arm laxly on leather the armrest with the other on the wheel. I can see him tuning out our conversation with minimal effort, having been a master at filtering noise since a kid.

I wonder how he's been since Christmas.

"Fine."

A simple response. One as bland as plain rice and tea. The leftovers kind; without any salmon or umeboshi or even seaweed.

Now I'm hungry. "So what's the plan for our first day in Kyoto? It's past noon already and time's-a wastin."

Natsume responds promptly, "I was planning for us to be at the complex until dinner. Then we could eat in the city."

The plan might have sounded good, save for the one glaring problem. "But what about the golden temple?" And the Imperial Palace? And Nara? These are things on my bucket list, Natsume, right up there with winning the Naoki prize.

Okay, maybe not quite thathigh, but it's still on my bucket list. I want to see the shining golden temple, the bowing deer, and all the classic attractions; the best of the best! Not spend four-something hours at some obscure unknown temples.

"You and Hanako said you were both fine with anywhere and the Myoshinji temples are definitely a place you could spend all day at." Natsume pulls out her phone and taps away for bit. A moment later I get a text from her with an attachment to a schedule split into 30-minute intervals. "We have all day tomorrow and the day after to visit Nara and Kinkakuji. Besides, I saw the more famous places when I came in middle school."

Hanako still stares, almost awestruck, at the tall buildings and just absentmindedly nods in agreement; with my argument, I assume. But I consent to Natsume's plan and its groundless stigma against classic attractions. But only because it's the best plan we have. Technically the only one. And sort of a reasonable one, I guess.

But I wanted to see it today! I need inspiration and firsthand information for my book. I can't just look at pictures on the internet and get the genuine experience.

Which reminds me.

"Shiori," I begin, "dearest cousin of mine and sibling surrogate."

"Yes?" His eyes remain focused on the moderately busy road.

"I have the teeniest tiniest favour to ask." Ever so amiable.

"Yes?" Shiori's tone remains passive and even.

"Can I keep your camera?" Just a trivial request. The smallest trifle.

"No."

"Come on, please?" I plead and reach across the car to poke him in the cheek. "Please? Please? Just for the trip? I'll give it back to you before we leave." And after I load it to Natsume's laptop.

"No. Stop that, I'm driving," he says as if I am not aware.

I slump into my seat and ponder my quandary. I need a camera to immortalize my exploits and archive my adventures through Kyoto. And my phone has a shitty camera. "Why not?"

"Naomi, stop whining," Natsume says in a berating tone, "and no 'adventuring.' We're just sightseeing."

I am not whining. I don't whine.

"Yes, you do. Ever since we were kids."

"Hanako, help me." I beseech my last friend in the car. "Natsume and Shiori are being mean to me."

She looks, surprised, between me, my assailants, and the disappearing photo ops passing outside. Hana too knows the importance of enjoying life's fleeting moments. She knows to appreciate, to savour, and to preserve such experiences. And after some more…respectable importuning…I was able to convince Shiori to let me use his overpriced camera to chronicle my "not-adventures" in Kyoto. Wink-wink, nudge-nudge.

"Don't nudge me. I'm still driving."

"And I'm right here." I could feel her almost tangible snark.

"You guys are no fun."

In response Natsume begins reclining her chair, squishing me and my purse into the backseat which is completely unfair. I mean, I'm sure, Natsume could and would argue that I brought this punishment of minor discomfort upon myself. And she might be right. I have been told that I tend to say things that serve no purpose other than to get a reaction. Which is ridiculous of course.

I'm just a conversationalist. So what? Sue me. Although considering Natsume's career plans that might be something not impossible.

As we arrive at the Shinji temples, I flip through some of the photos I've taken throughout the year so far. Hmm...I have many talents but photography is not my best. It's one of those more obscure types of art in which being clear and accurate does not equate to good.

Maybe I should have Shiori do the chronicling.

He takes out a bulky college textbook from his door's side compartment. "I was just going to wait in the car."

"Are you certain? Like I said, we might be a while." Natsume, always an advocate for fairness. Although he is more appropriately dressed for an air-conditioned car than the boiling thirtysomething weather outside with his tight fitting long sleeve shirt. While he never really cared about appearances as a kid he at least started wearing more fashionable clothes after coming back for high school. Maybe all the kilts in Scotland triggers a sort of survival instinct.

"You three go have fun. I'll just wait here."

"Stop being so standoffish, Shiori." I pluck the heavy book from his hands. "Don't you want to tour around Kyoto?"

"I live here."

I manage to convince Shiori to stop being antisocial and we pay for our entry. Shiori still trails behind for the most part as we weave through the temple grounds. I snap photos of the complex taking it all in then capture each scene for later viewing. Pictures of the temples, pictures of us, pictures of us and the temples. The tour guides and Natsume gave in depth histories of the various temples. Gardens of the pond and rock varieties. Everything in general.

After all, one of the most common pieces of advice in writing is to "write what you know" which is why experiencing life firsthand is vital for any writer. It takes real talent to see the beauty in everything and even more to go a step further and truly observe the world around yourself. Just as important I observe the people around us in addition to the landscape.

Shiori looks bored. His big brown eyes drift over the attractions and sightseers with a far-off look in them, his mind clearly somewhere else and wishing the body was as well.

Natsume on the other hand seems to absorb all the information the guides give us like a sponge despite probably already knowing all of it and more. Her glasses reflect the light with a sheen giving a vibe of sophistication and intellect.

And Hanako has that adorable wide-eyed look of hers she gets when she encounters something new and fascinating, greedily soaking up as much as possible. She's just a ball of curiosity, isn't she?

Daishonin's rock garden has smooth sloping lines drawn through the sand. Swirling and flowing in uniform yet unbound pseudo-waves. Delicate and subtle patterns that are difficult to immediately see but reveal themselves to an observant eye.

"How do they rake the sand without getting footprints all over it?" I nudge Shiori with my elbow as I only want a simple answer and not a complete lecture.

"Very carefully."

Ass. Automatically giving a sarcastic answer like that is a sign of being an ass. Either the smart or jack variety.

A stifled snicker to my left draws my attention. Hanako looks mortified at having snorted in a temple. Her eyes spread wide and cheeks slightly pink. Hanako's hand covers her mouth and her nose makes a slight twitch as she sniffs embarrassedly.

"Shut up, Ainsley," I elbow him in the ribs, "you know what I mean." Oh, don't look at me like that. Big baby.

Speaking of babies, it's hard to enjoy a zen garden with a kid sobbing barely a meter away. In our group a young family of three struggle to calm their youngest member. What set off the little bomb could be any number of things: it is absolutely sweltering, his parents clearly applied way to much sunscreen, the atrocious taste in clothing (although I have heard about having your kids wear neon so they're easier to see in a crowd), and I doubt he understands the historical significance of this place.

He looks about seven, though I'm awful at gauging age, with his short stature and red cheeks. The red cheeks are probably a result of air deprivation due to his constant screaming.

The parents simply laugh awkwardly and apologize then silently scold their child. They fall behind as the main tour group advances along with Shiori who is similarly lagging albeit due to his navel contemplation. He doesn't seem mind the the sobbing little boy for the most part.

"I doubt he even wanted to come," Natsume whispers covertly, "it's not fair to the other visitors."

"That's why we'll never get kids, right?"

Natsume remains mostly composed but blinks a few times in quick succession, her tell of embarrassment along with the slight tinge of pink on her nose, right where her glasses rest.

I snap a quick photo my girlfriend's face. After I stop laughing at her indignation I delete the picture and we move on.

Despite my initial griping the Myoshinji temples is really incredible. While not a household name attraction like Kyoto Tower or or the Imperial Palace, the sort of attractions Natsume visited back in middle school, the complex still has considerable fame and merit. I enjoy taking pictures of the various art pieces on their displays. I closely inspect them with my own eyes as well as the camera's of course.

The painting on the ceiling of one temple catches my attention. Its long body twists through the circle in the wood and around the painted clouds. As the main body of the group begins to exit I tell Natsume and Hanako to go on ahead. "I'll wait for Shiori to catch up. Assuming the brat hasn't given him a seizure or an aneurism or something."

In the colourful yet calm room I notice something in the serene silence: it's silent. The lungs on that toddler carried his cries for kilometers. Probably. At the very least I could see the tour guide's bushy eyebrow twitch meaning even an elderly man about a dozen meters away could hear him. But now it was quiet.

The young family enter the temple and the crying brat has miraculously transformed into just a brat. Shiori normally dislikes being touched but the little kid trots happily, and silently, next to him holding his hand with the apprehensive father and smiling mother nearby.

"I guess. Er," Shiori glances at the parents then flashes a helpless look at me, "that…um, could be argued…to an extent." He speaks with caution and deliberation.

"Okay Riku, you've bothered the nice man long enough." His dad makes to take back his wayward son but is stopped by the mom. The two parents have a wordless conversation that the wife wins if her husband's reluctant relenting is indicative. The father fans himself with the pamphlet checks his watch and the mom chuckles.

Maybe I should start carrying spare hair ties. A ponytail like hers could help with the heat.

"One more! One more!" It wasn't a plea to his dad but a demand to his new friend.

Shiori's expression tells me this is at least the third "one more" of whatever the kid is asking but he simple nods his head then looks at the ceiling.

Pointing at the ceiling he speaks at a slow but steady pace. "Well they're aren't any clouds in here." No duh. "But," he points at the ceiling, "that's called 'the dragon in the clouds' and those those clouds look like-."

"Are those the kinds of clouds you took pictures of?"

"Um. In some cases, yeah. I mostly took photos of storms and the like."

The boy bounces excitedly with his grip still tight on Shiori's sleeve. My cousin shoots me another expectant look. "Did you take any pictures of dragons? Can I see them?"

Boy am I glad Natsume went on ahead. While I can't stand the screaming part of kids her pet peeve is the way people indulge their fantasies. She almost went on a full tirade when she heard the B.S. explanation a parent gave about the mall Santas. I don't know what made lies such a trigger for her but Natsume has never been one to accept anything other than the unadulterated truth.

So it's a good thing Shiori is more tactful with a child's innocence.

"I, er, that is, neither my friends or I…um…"

I said he is willing to lie to maintain a child's sense of wonder. Not that he is good at it.

The kids big brown eyes—not unlike Shiori's—shine with a child's admiration and expectation.

Shiori clears his throat gently. "I have never seen a dragon up close." Not bad. Not bad.

Not a full out lie. A sort of lawyer's half-truth. The sort Natsume is irked by rather than enraged.

"Will you keep looking for some?"

"Ah. Um. I haven't been doing much photography lately." He rubs his arms awkwardly.

Having seen enough of this embarrassment of social interaction I tip-toe behind my monotonous cousin. "Shi-o-ri!"

It takes me a slight leap to reach around his neck but I manage to put him into a headlock and I drag my knuckles through his hair. It's weird that his hair is softer than Natsume's. Maybe it's his conditioner?

"You have some nerve making me wait for you. And Hanako and Natsume! Shame on you for not waiting on hand and foot for three pretty girls."

He gives a weak struggle and the two parents share a similar bemused expression.

"You can go on ahead," I say, not letting Shiori out of my expert headlock, "I want to talk to my cousin a bit."

Riku and his parents exit the temple and I hear their conversation through the hot summer air.

"It's great that your interested in clouds now but you can't just talk to strangers like that."

"Paleotempestology. Goodness that's a mouthful"

"It doesn't matter if he's a weatherman. Gang activity has been skyrocketing all over Japan. I swear I saw a tattoo."

"Just because he knows about clouds doesn't mean he's a weatherman. Besides, he seemed like a lovely young man. I doubt he's in a gang."

"Look! Ni. Nimbus. Nim-bo-strat-us!"

I finally release Shiori and he straightens up.

"Sp what took you so long?"

He shrugged, somehow looking confused with a poker face. "I tried to calm Riku down-."

"With clouds?" Weird kid.

"Giving kids something else to focus on usually calms them down. Remember how I pointed out the types of clouds to you whenever you were recovering from a seizure?"

Huh. No. I didn't. Now that I think about it I remember a few times when I was in elementary school, before Shiori moved to Scotland, when stuff like that happened.

Coming out of a seizure my breath is always erratic and I felt confused and sick. Shiori would steady me and tell me about the different clouds we could see until I was back in the present. It worked well because I spent a lot of time outside so if something ever happened there was always something I was able to focus on. Usually my ability to focus is only average but after my seizures my mind is in a panicky, nauseous, unstable haze.

Shiori is a pretty stabilizing element though.

"Why clouds?"

He shrugs again. "They're pretty much everywhere. Besides, I liked taking pictures of them."

"Are you willing to put that passion and talent to work for the next few days?" We leave the temple and the bright sky is indeed dotted with various white and grey clouds. "It's not like it's everyday I come to visit. I know you don't do it much these days but this should be fine, right? And if you take a bunch, some of them should turn out."

He rolls his eyes and we walk-jog to catch up to the group. "Fine," He relents holding out his hand for his camera. "I'll put them on a flash drive for you too."

"Aw. Who's my favorite cousin?" I reach to ruffle his chocolatey hair.

"I'm your only," Shiori steps backwards, "never mind."

"Come on. Let's go see the rest of the complex. Remember to take lots of pictures. And don't worry about the blurry ones; just snap a fuckton and one of them has to be clear."

"That's a fallacy if I've ever heard one."

I snicker and wave to Natsume and Hanako. "Did that guy really think you were a gang member? You? You're about as threatening as a cocker spaniel."

Shiori sighs and rubs the back of his head. "This is going to be my whole week."

"Nah, just the next four days."

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Extra:

How does that child stay conscious?

Air deprivation would have knocked out a blue whale by now.

Hanako nervously rubs the ends of her sleeves and flinches every time the pitch or volume spikes. Natsume's mouth is a flat line and the sun reflects menacingly off her glasses. Even Shiori, a boy with the patience of a buddhist monk raised by saints in a temple of crystallized zen, gave the occasional twist of an eye or subtle cough of displeasure.

As the pitch reaches a new peak that I'm certain would be lethal to dogs I calmly hand the camera to Natsume.

If I had a yen for every time I had to drop kick a toddler I would have two yen.

Which isn't very much, but it's weird that it's happened more than once.

Regardless: I'm getting paid today.

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A.N:

So I made a giant mistake. Hanako & co. (HanaCo., heh) were canonically supposed leave Yamaku in Sendai (I think that's where it is) and to head to Hokkaido thenloop down south (thanks for telling me about that mistake everyone (sarcasm)). That's clearly not what they're doing in TNPOT.

So for my story the three members of the newspaper club are doing the inverse; they're starting down south then heading up to Hokkaido to meet with Hisao. Also I've decided to have Hisao live in Hokkaido.

Ugh. Too many foreign cities and imaginary schools and unknown stuff about Japan in general.

Well, before I end this chapter I want to run an idea by you guys: I'm thinking of doing a Fate/Night fic. I thought it could be a good way to practice my action writing (if anyone ever even bothers to give me feedback).

Tell me what you think. Of the idea of a Fate fic and about this story in as well.

-Red


	9. Scene 9

Scene 9: Reverse Psychology

A.N: Picking up where we left off, here's a refresher if you need one:

Hisao and Lilly ran into Takumi, Mai, and Shin. Shin is cool and quiet, Mai is capricious and quick-tempered, and Takumi is a delinquent savant. They're not (that) angry at Hisao for his angsty assholery anymore but things are still a little awkward.

Aya Nakai is a politician and Hitoro Nakai is an architectural designer. They're pretty nice people that just got one of their cars stolen.

And now here we are!

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As I exit the bathroom a smell other than the typical post-shower odors of water and shampoo reaches my nose.

Even though the hot shower and good night's sleep worked miracles to wake me up, pure muscle memory would have allowed me to navigate the familiar layout even if I was still in the drowsy pseudo-dead state. In the kitchen I'm greeted by the sight of my dad and girlfriend cooking a western style breakfast.

"And what was this called again?" The eldest of the household has the sleeves of the "#1 dad" sweater I gave him years ago rolled up to his elbows. He follows Lilly's instructions and navigates the kitchen with almost exaggerated caution.

"A full breakfast. Or depending on the region a full English, full Scottish, and so on."

Glancing over the large assortment of meats and other foodstuff I think that the name is very appropriate.

"Traditionally there are features that are rather exotic to Japan, such as haggis and the like. But I never really enjoyed haggis regardless." Lilly is already dressed in a smooth, light purple, halter top with a thin strap running around her neck and white shorts that reach to about mid-thigh with a thin brown belt. "Did you add the tomatoes to the pan yet?"

He uses a knife to scrape a small pile of sliced tomatoes off the cutting board and into the pan where they instantly begin to sizzle.

"Yes. And you said how much salt?"

"Just a pinch is perfect," she says with a charming smile then turns to me. "My my, you've slept in today."

Eight-thirty isn't that late.

In all honesty though, I'm surprised to see Lilly up and about so early. Again I am amazed by how quickly she memorized my house from the short tour last evening. It's incredible how Lilly can navigate the from the guest room to the kitchen and, by the look of her hair, the shower as well.

My dad looks up and grins, clearly not in his work-mode. "Lilly ran into me as I was starting to make breakfast." Hopefully he means figuratively. "She had the idea of making a Scottish style one. The eggs are ready, and the turkey bacon will be done in a moment."

I look over the spread of food on a trio of large plates and still in progress of being cooked. Eggs, bacon, beans, toast. If it weren't for the disproportionate amount of obvious heart foods I would be worried about eating this much meat, turkey or otherwise.

We eat breakfast and talk about the rest of the day. Dad has a meeting he needs to attend today and Lilly wanted to see the city.

"So to speak."

There's a park nearby where we could walk and I could show her some places I used to hang out at.

The food is delicious and savoury even though my dad rarely, if ever, cooks. Lilly's assistance and instruction seems to have made a decent chef out of him. Being much heavier than what I'm typically used to I fill up quickly. Especially with the large mouthful of pills I already took but I eat slowly between conversation and the food settles easily.

"And what about your friends?" He takes a bite out of his toast with black bean sauce leaving a small bit on the corner of his mouth. "Takumi and you seemed to be getting along again."

I shift in my seat feeling awkward and reach for the small bowl of ground flaxseeds in the center of the table and stir it into my oatmeal.

"More or less," I say seesawing my hand. Maybe a bit less. "Me and Lilly were just going to walk around the city." I take a bit of my oatmeal and repress a grimace. The dirty brown seeds taste exactly like how you'd expect them to: like dirt. Their slight nuttiness and the honey I mix in curb the aftertaste for the most part.

"Hanako is stopping by here in a few days so perhaps we could wait for that so we can see the main parts of it together," Lilly suggests.

"Right," dad finally brushes the beans off and says,"this Hanako is visiting for that only day?"

"Yeah, Hanako said she would just be here at about the halfway point of her vacation."

I don't remember much of the exact details. Just some counterclockwise, oblong loop through Japan that swings by my place. It looked fun, stopping by all types of major cities. Maybe I could do a road trip sometime.

"Hanako's friend was fortunate enough to have a family member that was willing to drive their group around for most of the southern part of Japan."

Right, Naomi's family. An image of two Naomis flash into my head. The picture adjusts itself when I remember that the cousin is a boy. While not nearly on the level of say, for example, Misha, Miss Inoue was definitely one of the more energetic people in my class. I wonder how they're getting along? I should give her a call later and see how things are going.

My dad stands up and makes to clear the dishes and I help. Lilly, a slower eater than us, finishes her meal and carefully carries her dishes to the sink.

"Thanks for helping me with breakfast Lilly, it was amazing." He enters and exits his room fully dressed in a matter of minutes before proceeding to brush his teeth with a practiced efficiency that leaves me still brushing my teeth as he darts out the door. "I'm heading out now so you two just enjoy yourselves and I'll see you tonight. I don't know how long the meeting will be so don't wait on me for dinner. Bye." He belts out his spiel in one breath and speeds out in the rental car.

"He sure can change at the drop of a hat," she says amused, hitting the nail on the head about the vast canyon between my dad's work and home personalities.

"He was pretty no nonsense all the time until I caught him playing with his toys." I laugh at the memory.

As we head out the door I tell Lilly about the it. I think I was nine at the time and after a little bit of flusteredness dad gave up his attempts of appearing professional at home. We bonded over those little, colourful, plastic blocks.

"I outgrew them. Him, not so much."

Outside the sun shines merrily through the trees as it gains momentum in the sky. Wind sweeps past us, rustling Lilly's skirt who holds it down then adjusts her golden hair. Lilly holds onto my arm and her elegant silken top contrasts with my far more casual outfit. The fanciest article of clothing I have other than a suit are a few sweater vests which I omitted in favour of a simple polo and a pair of cheap, cotton, grey, shorts because of the summer heat.

"So since we're waiting for Hanako what places are you going to show me."

I shrug and scratch the back of my head with my free arm.

"There's the pool. The city has some shops." I count off the usual areas I hang out at on my fingers, excluding certain places like the arcade. "A handful of parks. Any of those sound good?"

Lilly makes to answer when a another gust of wind blows past and some strands of her golden hair fly into her face.

"Today is good weather to fly a kite," she says with a mix of frustrated sarcasm and genuine earnestness.

I am surprised by her not at all incorrect statement. "I guess so. I've never really flown kites. Do you…?" The question is left in the appropriately breezy morning air.

"Only a little. Inverness is up in the windier part of Scotland and my mother took me kite-flying a few times. I enjoyed it," Lilly says with a nostalgic smile, "the tug of the kite and the way I swung around felt like dancing."

Dancing, huh? We stop walking and take a seat on a bench. Now that we're in the one of the busier areas of the district groups of other student on summer break walk past like little packs. Cafes begin to go through their rush-hour and the whole area seems to have a sort of controlled yet manic energy. It really reminds me of how used to Yamaku's serenity and quietness I've become over the past few months.

"I wanted to try dancing when I was a little girl. I could hear and feel the music but I never actually acted on it." Because she was scared? Because she wasn't allowed to? Regardless, that gives me an idea.

"Then how'd you like to learn how to dance?"

"That would be lovely," Lilly gives a bright smile. "Do you dance?"

I laugh at the notion. I've never exactly been the most coordinated person. Even when I played football after school sometimes we would just sort of run with the group and try to kick the back towards the other end. They were games of inexperience and pure recreation. The sort of raw enjoyment you can only get out of a group of complete amateurs.

"Mai has a part-time job as a dance instructor at her studio. I'm sure she could give us a few pointers."

"Oh, but she seemed rather hostile yesterday."

"That's just who she is," I say. "Now that Mai has said, or shouted, more accurately, her piece she should be mostly cooled off by now."

"What a peculiar girl."

I chuckle at Lilly's assessment. "You don't know the half of it. She's quirky but that's one of the reasons we love her."

"Well I'm not certain if we would get along though." Lilly puts one hand on her cheek worryingly. "I wouldn't want to cause any friction between your recovering friendship."

Already pulling my phone out of my pocket, I assure Lilly that it is fine and flip through my contacts. My old friends' phone numbers are still there, the last call from or to them dating back to almost a year ago.

The phone rings a few time before abruptly going to the telltale buzz of a call being sent of voicemail.

"Real mature, Mai."

"Something the matter, Hisao?"

"Nothing. Hold on, I'm calling Shin."

Shin picks up before the first ring finishes. "Hello?"

"Hey Shin, are you with–."

I hear scuffling on the other end. Deciding to put it in on speaker, Lilly makes an odd expression at the muttered curses coming from the phone.

After a moment Mai's clear voice jumps from the cell. "Why did you call Shin?" She sounds annoyed. As if she wanted me to keep trying to call her.

"Make a wild guess."

"What? Does being ignored upset you?"

In the background I can hear Shin's baritone clearly even through the speaker. "Mai can I have my phone–"

"In a minute. So what's up, Hicchan?"

Lilly giggles then recomposes herself. "I told you to–," I stop myself. It's fine. It's fine. "Lilly wanted learn a bit of dancing and you're an instructor, right?"

"What, the princess doesn't already know ballroom dancing and shit?"

"No," Lilly says with sarcasm that matches if not surpasses Mai's, "the princess does not. I suppose Hisao put a little too much faith in your character to think your tantrum yesterday was enough to placate your immature temper."

I had never seen Lilly get angry. Or rather, this type of angry; direct and snarky. She normally remains composed and subtle, even when fighting with Shizune, but I suppose Mai just pushes her buttons or something.

"Oh please," I hear Shin ask, and be denied, for his phone again, "that's how I treat all the bratty kids I deal with. My siblings, my students, my friends that are angsting."

"I am surprised someone like you is a teacher." Another scathing remark that smashes on one of Mai's biggest triggers.

"I. Am. An. Amazing. Instructor!" Mai fumes on the other end, punctuating each word with seething contempt. "Ask my ballet class! Or my ballroom class! Or my–!"

"Maybe you can teach young children because of your like mindedness, but do you have any realclasses? For adults? Could you teach someone whom is blind?"

"I could teach a dog, you–!" Shin must have finally grabbed his cell back judging by Mai's now muted yells of protest.

"Mai says," Shin pauses for a moment, "she says to be at the studio in five minutes or she's going to–no, Mai, I'm not saying that. Look, Hisao, just come to Mai's studio. We'll see you there."

The phone beeps for a bit and I hit the "end call" still dumbfounded.

Lilly has a bright smile that gives no indication of the snipes she and Mai were exchanging moments ago. She has a strange, pleased, and accomplished look on her face.

"You, uh," I falter at the odd exchange I witnessed, "you really want to learn how to dance."

A smile far more knowing than any teenager should have dances across my girlfriend's face.

"Is her dance studio nearby?" She asks.

"Um…just a few blocks away."

The studio Mai learns and teaches at isn't necessarily dingy, but it is also not the most modern place in the city, by any stretch of the word. It's large, yeah, but pretty baren. Smooth, shiny, hardwood floor stretched across the wide room from the entrance to the ceiling height mirrors in the back. A long metal railing, smudged on some parts and rubbed to a polish on others, ran along one wall and on the other was a small amount of desks, posters, and a few dated computers with a small purse resting on top of one of the unused monitors. The computers, a small fridge, and Mai's phone are all plugged into power strip in a tangle of wires that just has to be a fire hazard.

Sitting behind one desk, her head not even popping above the computer's monitor, sat Mai typing no less than 60 words per minute. She was already dressed in her dance outfit: tight fitting purple shorts and a matching black sleeveless top.

Shin is also here, standing quietly next to her, dressed casually in a pair of cream coloured shorts and a simple white t-shirt. I will never understand how he is so ripped. Cooking isn't exactly a physical activity and he doesn't lift weights but he looks like a professional wrestler. Not that I'm jealous.

"Alright Princess," Mai finishes typing with a far too dramatic flourish and shuffles through some CDs I presume are for the large boombox under the metal bar, "you're going to bring down the mansion at your next ball."

"It's not a mansion," Lilly and I correct her at the same time.

Mai looks taken aback and Shin has a minuscule smile, like a tiny crack in granite wall. "I was just being hyperbolic but damn, really Princess?" She reaches down and grabs her phone and beings dialing, mumbling to herself. "Can't believe I took that bet."

That explains who she's calling. "Hey Takumi, you were right…hah hah you're so funny shut up."

I just know on the other end Takumi is grinning. I can hear his grin. It's Takumi's signature grin. The grin of a douchebag. The grin of a douchebag who knows he's a douchebag and positively revelsin his douchiness. Takumi's own words.

Patent pending.

"So apparently Princess has a big ass house…yeah, they're both here." She turns to us. "Start stretching. Uh huh. No, it was ten-hundred yen. Hundred. Who the hell would bet ten-thousand for something that asinine? Other than you."

Not really used to stretching I awkwardly turn my arms towards the large, bright lights above then reach for the floor only to stop at least twenty centimeters above it. God am I glad Lilly can't see how ridiculous I look.

Lilly, poised and refined as ever, runs through what I assume are routine stretches for her given the obvious familiarity. The way she naturally moves her torso and all her limbs displays a grace that is incredible for someone who is blind.

It's certainly better than my pitiful display. At least my lack of flexibility is something I've always had rather than developed after my long hospital stay.

Shin doesn't stretch, he says he doesn't dance, and instead opts to just watch Mai and help her choose the music, occasionally looking our way with an almost nonexistent smirk.

If it was any other scarred, muscular, two meter tall, guy, I might have been somewhat concerned about the way my girlfriend's light purple shirt fit her figure so well. But Shin doesn't really seem like Lilly's type and besides, he has his eyes in Mai.

Having hung up on Takumi, probably in the middle of a sentence, Mai looks us over with a trained eye.

"Don't you have any casual clothes?"

Lilly looks confused for a moment. "Am I wearing my mauve top?"

"Er. Yes," I say. At least I think that's mauve. Sometimes I wonder if I missed out on a couple thousand cones or rods.

"Ah. Well then, these are my casual clothes." The silky fabric does look like the sort of thing someone would wear to a dance. But practicing dancing in? Not so much.

"How do you know the colour of your clothes?"

I elbows Shin in the stomach then wince slightly and rub my elbow. Lilly however, just smiles good-naturedly.

"I don't exactly know what the colour is but my sister told me what they were. She explained that it was similar to the notes on a piano: basic scales with notes that have higher and lower variations. Some clash and others blend harmoniously."

Shin and Mai nod in an understanding way but still look somewhat surprised.

I too am surprised by this information. "You never told me you played the piano."

Lilly gently laughs. "I'm not very good at it. My father mostly had me do lessons to improve my muscle memory and other such skills."

Mai snickers. "I definitely thought you were the type to play piano or flute or viola or something. But I didn't want to be rude."

Yeah that's definitely rude alright.

"I chose the classiest music we got," Mai says sticking the CD into the player, "so it should be right up your alley."

Various string instruments and drums hum through the boombox and several other speakers.

"Hisao, hands here and here." She brusquely grabs my arms and places my right around Lilly's waist and my left hand in her right.

"This is a simple waltz, everyone knows the beat."

I use a scratch on the floor as a reference for where to pivot over. We spin in place for a bit before syncing up with the music. I occasionally glance at my feet to check if I've strayed to far and Mai repeatedly taps the back of my head every time I do.

"Just like that," she hold her own arms up with an imaginary partner. "Be smooth you two. Smooth. Be relaxed and just follow the music. One-two-three. One-two-three. Nice and simple."

I put a conscious effort in to each step but slowly it becomes more natural. Just as I feel like we got the hang of the dance Mai decides to raise the bar.

"Let's spice things up a bit, add a little more. Hisao forward, Princess go back. And forward and back. And forward and back." Lilly and I falter a bit at the new movements but flow back into the new rhythm much quicker than me started. "Just like that. How about you give her a spin, Hisao?"

"How about no?" I'll stick to what's safe, thank you very much, experimentation be damned.

"Are you sure Hisao?" Lilly teases, "I think it could be fun to do a little twirl."

"Fun until centrifugal force leads to us both falling on our behinds."

"Half of the dancing experience is falling down," Mai and Shin say this little line in response to my concern almost immediately. Shin abruptly takes interest in his shoes then makes to untie and tighten their laces.

"My my, that is certainly an interesting aphorism," Lilly and I continue our waltz and I can't help but be eager at the chance to return some of Mai's jabs. "I do not believe Hisao and I have spent nearly enough time falling then."

"Don't ask them to join," I joke, secretly goading them to see if they'll dance too, "they might jinx us."

In response Mai fiddled with the player a bit and the tempo picked up significantly. "Should I stop going easy on you two?"

"I do wonder how much of a difference it would make if you did."

"Partner switch!" Mai takes my spot as Lilly's partner, their height differences, while an obvious quirk of their partnership, proves to be of no major issue.

Lilly has truly taken to the three-step base dance number and other variations of it very quickly. Her innate grace and fine motor control allows for her to keep up with Mai's swift, almost liquid movements.

Shin has taken a seat and his eyes are fixated on Mai. A small grin begins to creep onto his face but it disappears when he sees me looking.

The three of us dance for a while longer until I've worked up a moderate sweat.

"What do you think about calling it a day for now?" I don't want to push anything.

Lilly, also slightly out of breath, nods and agrees. "I notice that Shin did not join us."

Shin shrugs. "I don't dance. It would be a hazard to myself and everyone on the floor."

It's no exaggeration too. I've seen him. His arms are either stiff at his side or flailing like a tubeman. He says dancing is "too erratic." With how he carefully measures his, well, everything, it makes sense he prefers something with more controlled movements like cooking.

"Well Princess," Mai pops the CD out of the player and places it back into the case, "make sure you send me a photo or something of your next ball. I always wanted to see a mansion filled with bourgeois gawking at one of my students."

"It's not a mansion. It's simply an above average house."

Mai looks unconvinced. "Yeah? What's the meterage?"

Lilly thinks for a moment. "I do believe I recall Akira saying it had roughly 500 square meters of floor space."

"I think that classifies it as a mansion," Shin says.

I shrug my shoulders and Lilly huffs slightly. "Is there like a bar or something? Some requirements it needs to meet?"

"The definition of 'mansion' is loose, as with most words. It could be defined as: a dwelling containing ballrooms, drawing rooms, dining rooms, music rooms, and other such amenities."

"And does your princess castle have those?"

A light blush creeps onto my girlfriend's face. I raise an eyebrow. "It does not have any ballrooms."

"You kidding," I say, astonished.

Mai, on the other hand, starts guffawing like a moron. "That's rich, Princess! Shin, you should ask if they need a new private chef."

Shin curtly but politely declines.

"Well, this was fun, Princess," Mai unplugs her phone and sticks it into purse, "but I have some other babies I need to take care of."

Outside big, fluffy, white clouds trudge across the sky. We had danced for far longer than I thought if the sun's position is any indication. I wonder if I could arrange for more lessons. It seems like a decent way to get some physical activity. And it'd let me do it with Lilly!

On the other hand, my pessimistic side raises its ugly head, I doubt Mai would let me just take lessons for free. And mom and dad aren't exactly in a position for me to take up a new hobby. I guess I'll just stick to running for now.

"It is going to rain in a few days," Lilly says

This shocks me. "How can you tell?" The sky, while yes, is cloudy, is also a vivid blue and the sun still shines through any cloud that passes under it.

"I can smell it in the air." She smiles knowingly. "The smell of ozone and precipitation and–." Her grin cracks and widens.

I roll my eyes and Mai coughs into her hand. "Why don't you pull the other one; it has bells."

"I have no idea what you mean." Lilly continues to giggle.

"She's definitely messing with you," Shin says, "it was on the news this morning."

"Why'd you have to ruin the joke?" Mai slugs him in the elbow as it's the only place she could comfortably reach. "We could've strung him along for who knows how long."

Not that long. I think.

After we stop laughing at my expense Shin starts walking back downtown where he lives and faces Mai the other way.

"So, uh," Mai looks back and shifts her weight between her feet, "I'll see you guys around."

"Thank you, Mai." An earnest thanks and a delicate smile that would melt anyone's heart.

Even a heart of caesium.

I know the expression is "heart of stone" but caesium is just more appropriate.

"Ah hell. Come on." She waved for us to follow and starts walking to her house. "Shin! Get back here; you're making us lunch!"

Almost immediately he makes an about face, Newton's first law be damned, and starts for Mai's place. A subtle but telltale new spring in his step.

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Extra:

"I don't dance. It would be a hazard to myself and everyone on the floor."

"What do you mean?"

"Hisao?" He nods at me.

"Law of mass dictates that the mass of an object dramatically increases the force of impact when said object collides with the ground; and, with Shun's size, he'd make an extensively large impact upon his inevitable fall," I answer my girlfriend's question the best I can.

"What?"

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"Neeeeeeerd!" Thanks Mai.

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A.N: Holy shit this chapter is long. I was thinking of splitting it into two parts but then it would've been too short. And I just think this flows better as one part.

I guess even if no one reviews writing fics does still help with practice. But I'd still like it if someone gave me some feedback. Also, I started a story on FictionPress. It's called "Absolutely Terrible." Name subject to change. Check it out and tell me what you think. Or not. You know what, don't. I don't care. Whatever. Don't read it. Don't review. Do what you want.

Thanks for reading.

-Red


	10. Scene 10

Chapter 10: Influence and Impressionability

A.N: Everytime I click on that "Post New Chapter" button my heart skips a beat. I was concerned about this chapter because it introduces a bunch of inconsequential and unimportant characters and I wasn't sure how to give the details about them without an info dump because my normal method of describing characters takes more time that I didn't want to devote to these less than vital characters. What I decided on was, well, you'll see on this chapter. I think it was a bit of an info dump, but I also think it's not too bad. Let me know if you (dis)agree.

Hope you enjoy.

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Shin's sullen expression only every loosens up when he's cooking, obstinately following the instructions to the letter as he does so. If he's ever in a bad mood the best way to cheer him up is to just plop him in a kitchen with a detailed recipe. Despite it looking like the after effects of a typhoon, Shin always manages to flow through each step of the recipe flawlessly. His arms weave in an almost dance-like fashion through his little domain. Sprinkling some salt here, flipping the pan there, a twist of something, a spice, a squeeze of a lemon, a quick stir of the sauce.

Soon various scents begin to permeate the air around the kitchen and throughout Mai's small, run down, two-story house, making my mouth begin to water.

Then it happens.

The rumbling starts small. A distant thunder, quiet at first, but it steadily grows and builds, soon gaining the company of shrill voices and laughter.

A herd of children burst from the door and storm into the already cramped kitchen and dining room.

Mai rubs her temples. "I told you lot to stop running down the stairs."

"Hi Shin!" The shortest boy of the group says, ignoring Mai, clearly focusing on something else. "Are you cooking lunch for us?"

"No, it's for his imaginary friends, genius," the taller boy says with condescension and sarcasm.

"Be nice, brat." Mai glares sharply at him. "The rest of you too. You're supposed to greet your guests."

"Hi," three voices chorus out.

"Hello," another shyer voice says at the same time but quieter.

"Princess, these are the munchkins: Makoto, Mari, and the twins; Masao and Manami. Other than pops and dad this is the whole Matsumoto-Maki clan."

If Lilly notices the quirk of their family's names she doesn't mention anything. Instead she just stands and bows politely to the gathered children. "Lilly Satou. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

The youngest of them look at my girlfriend with a sort of awe that I can appreciate and understand.

"Are you really a princess?" Manami looks at her guest with wide, curious eyes behind a pair of taped, plastic glasses.

"Goodness, no. That is simply a little moniker your eldest sister gave me."

I wave at the kids who are the light of Mai's life. "Hey guys. You've grown a lot."

"I thought you were dying in some hospital," Makoto's blunt statement makes Mari gasp.

After I assure them that I am not in fact not dying, a little white lie perhaps, Shin turns off the stoves and all four of the kids dash to the table. They always have liked Shin's cooking and he comes by to do so rather often, albeit most likely not for their benefit.

The Matsumoto-Maki family is an unusual one. Two boys, three girls, and two dads.

Manami is shy, but also very smart for a nine year old. Or, I guess, ten now. Her twin brother Masao is more clever than smart. But he's also loud, gross, and has absolutely no verbal filter. His tactless wit is something that takes getting used to, but he's easy enough to get along with as long as you don't take things too personally.

Mari, the middle child at twelve years, is social and is on her school's baseball team. According to Mai, Mari has a crush on me, but Mai also says she pitched a perfect season at nine, so I'll take her word with a grain of salt.

Makoto is the second oldest, he should be fourteen years old now, but considers himself the man of the household when his dads are gone. Understandable given that he's already past Mai's height, although that isn't that substantial of a feat. He's a rude little brat. Like Mai, but less of a endearingly insensitive and more…prick.

Not that I'd say it to his face.

Outright.

Again.

After we all settle at the low, wooden table on the worn cushions, Shin walks over, arms laden with heavy plates carrying the source of the heady mouth-watering scents.

"Lemon pepper chicken." Shin sets the plates down without any flourish or pomp. "Cilantro lime rice." The large bowl makes a shark clack when it lands on the already heavily scratched surface. "Citrus glazed asparagus."

"Ewww," the youngest male of the Matsumoto-Maki family wrinkles his nose.

"Now now now," Lilly chides the kids with a natural ease, "asparagus is important for growing children."

"And if you don't eat it I'll stop bringing you back stuff from the dagashiya."

It's almost eerie how well the two of them have a good-cop-bad-cop routine going between them so quickly and effectively. Between my girlfriend's natural charm and Mai's plucky charisma, the mutual understanding the two of them seem to have reached has certainly formed a formidable alliance. I don't think I'll ever understand women completely. One day they're at each other's throats, the next they're helping each other coerce children into eating healthy.

Masao takes a helping of the vegetables, albeit reluctantly, conceding to their persuasions.

"But it makes my pee smell funny," Masao whines, crass as ever. Which is definitely what you want to hear right before eating.

"All pee smells gross, idiot," says Makoto. Clearly Japanese politeness committed honorable suicide long ago over the impossibility of reaching these adolescents, leaving them to fester in their rejection of social responsibility for years. Of course, Mai probably isn't the best influence on polite social etiquette.

"On that note, is there a restroom here?" Lilly looks bemused at the childrens' banter as opposed to my own slightly ill expression. Most likely she is attempting to retreat until the children settle on a less disgusting topic of discussion, a pointless hope unfortunately. Or it could be the all the water we drank during our dance lesson. I finally understand why Mai manages to remain so tiny despite her appetite: dancing really burns through your energy fast. Or it could just be I'm that badly out of shape…

"No we don't have a bathroom, we shit in a hole out back," Makoto scoffs. I frown at his attitude and resist the urge to reprimand him. It's not really my place and Mai usually has things like this covered.

"Language." Mai smacks the back of his head, the hypocrisy of her discipline is still rather ironic. "I'll take you, Princess. It's just down this hall."

Leading her from the kitchen, Mai sends back a sharp glare to the rest of us with a silent command: behave.

"This is really good!" Masao pops more of the chicken into his mouth.

"I can't take much credit for the original chef's work." Shin barely acknowledged the compliment. I give him a pointed look.

"It's good, Shin," I say sending a clear message to just take the compliment.

"I could use some soy sauce in mine. Could you pass it over here?" Takumi points to the small bottle.

"Yeah, sure."

He begins dousing his rice with the black sauce and I sigh. "Just because it says 'low sodium' doesn't mean you can just add as much as you want."

Maybe all of his swimming has bleached Takumi's sense of smell and that's why he doesn't find the food's potent smell as an indication of its already adequate seasoning. I wonder what it smells like to Lilly's more sensitive nose?

"My meal, my mouth, my decision," he says with oh so impeccable logic.

We continue to eat and make small talk. Every once and a while a one of the four kids would giggle at something or other. Takumi cracks some jokes and I smirk, amused. Over six years I've known him and he still always tells the exact same jokes.

"And then the boyfriend sets the plates on the floor and says, 'here Soap! Here Water!'"

Lilly soon returns chatting amicably with the shorter girl just as Takumi finishes his joke. A joke that is about as appropriate as human urine and the effect certain vegetables may or may not have on its smell is.

"Hey Lilly," Takumi redundantly raises a hand in greeting.

"Oh, Takumi, it's lovely to see you. When did you get here?"

Oh, Takumi, it's lovely to see you. When did you get–.

"Takumi?!" I say perhaps a bit too loudly as his presence finally registers in my brain.

"Yes honey?"

I clutch my chest in surprise, the random materialization of my best friend causes my heart to jump into my throat which makes me choke on the sweet and sour food.

Sweet Izanagi, has Takumi always been this stealthy?

"Oh dear, are you alright Hisao?" Lilly sounds concerned about my hacking but the little gremlins seem to think it's the funniest thing since Fleming discovered penicillin on accident.

"I'm," I slowly sip some water, "I'm fine." I glare at him and he has the nerve to continue his lunch with his shittiest of shit eating grins (patent pending).

"Takumi," Makoto, as always, is considerably less dour in the presence of his idol, "are we going to hang out again soon?"

The math genius scratches the back of his head. "I don't know. I need to run everything past your big sis, remember? And she can be a bit of a hardas–oof!"

Shin elbows him in the gut, face still neutral.

Mai taps the back of her chopsticks on the hardwood table with a resounding clack. "Takumi, no swearing in front of the munchkins. Shin, good job. Munchkins, don't emulate Shin."

"Whatever," Takumi wheezes out and rubs his stomach, "I just came to collect my ten thousand yen."

"Ten hundred," Mai corrects him.

"How about we split the difference: 5500 yen. It's an offer you can't refuse," Takumi says, his voice lowering in pitch and volume at the end of his statement in a bad impression of some actor in a movie he forced me to watch years ago.

"I refuse."

Takumi quickly deflects another blow from the still juxtaposingly passive Shin. "Such violence! Normally mobsters send thugs after the people who owethe money, not the ones that collect it."

"Mobsters have never had to deal with you." Mai leisurely sips from her cup. "One thousand. That's it."

And so, compromising at 1000 yen, Takami accepts the note reluctantly with a sore shoulder and a melodramatic scowl. He leans over to Masao and stage whispers to him, "listen closely, kid: in Hokkaido, women are more dangerous than shotguns."

The rest of lunch passes without complication. Other than Masao snorting at Takumi's impression of Shin so hard that juice came out his nose.

As Mai and Lilly wash the dishes together, after convincing Shin that it's only fair since he did the cooking, I chat with Takumi and Shin about Yamaku.

"Damn, and I thought our school was tough on students," Takumi is stretched laxly across the tatami floor, leaning back on his hands with palms facing downwards. The dining room seems so much more spacious now that three of the four kids left to play outside. Makoto opting to stay inside with his senior. "You really have to take as many tests as the rest of us? Sounds a bit unfair."

I shake my head. "It's a normal school. Just some extra stuff. Academics and student wellbeing are the responsibilities of all teachers; Yamaku staff just have to go a bit further with the wellbeing part."

"And you're really planning on teaching science?" Shin, having chosen his career out of passion, and maybe more that zero spite, long ago looks surprised that I've set a goal of my own.

"Maybe not teaching specifically." I shrug. "But I've always liked science."

"He is very good at it," Lilly comments.

Takumi, however, laughs loudly. "I think you mean he's always been able to get away with minimal work for science."

"Shut up, Thorp," I say, taking a jab at Takumi's own savant characteristics.

He snorts but the other three don't understand the reference.

"Edward Thorp?" I'm still met with three blank expressions. "American mathematician? He literally wrote the book on card counting. Thorp made tons of advances in probability theory." When I read his book my first thought was about how Takumi would love this guy. I also tried my very best to make certain Takumi never learned new ways to improve his gambling from that book.

Lilly shakes her head, amused, then takes the plate Mai hands her and gently drys it before setting the plate on to the rack.

"But have you got any experience?" Shin asks. "Internships, part-time jobs, stuff like that?"

I shake my head and Lilly is the one to speak up. "Yamaku does not allow students to hold jobs while attending," she says without missing a beat. I'm reminded that she was on the student council before I came. Shizune definitely seems like the type of person to get a part-time job though. She probably devoted more than a little time to changing that rule.

"It's a good thing we don't have that problem," Takumi grins, "heavens forbid Mai loses her job at the dance studio."

"Or the Dagashiya," I add.

"Or the pharmacy," Takumi bounces back.

"Or the flower shop run by that old man."

Mai just rolls her eyes and Lilly laughs while Shin frowns at our teasing.

"My my. You certainly must enjoy keeping busy, Mai."

Mai coughs into her hand and looks around her rather small and humble home. I know from experience that the gate is missing a lock, the door to the backyard jams frequently, and the floor of Mai's room has a hole from rotted wood giving way a few years back. "Well, it's kinda hard for two men to support their five kids on their own."

Mai's dads both had divorces. They got to keep custody, but both have to pay spousal maintenance to their ex-wives. She's never explained the full details. Although Takumi has speculated that she's told Shin.

A strange mix of a cough and a laugh escapes Mai. It sounds awkward and forced.

Lilly's face betrays nothing. No sign of regret, or pity, or anything that would ignite that volatile compound that is Mai. Her view of pity and disingenuous sympathy was made clear to me not long after I first met her.

"That is very admirable of you," Lilly says finally and Mai's expression softens.

"Yeah. Thanks." She shuffles awkwardly and Shin stands and begins putting the dried dishes into the dishwasher.

"I offered to let you in on my pickled pepper business but you refused to help jumpstart it." Takumi says with his typical air of casualness. "What about you, Lilly? I've got a jar in my pack you can sample."

"Because everyone just loves having their mouths melted." Mai's voice positively drips with sarcasm.

"Why do you have pickled peppers in your backpack?" A reasonable question. Unfortunately, reason doesn't always apply to Takami.

The new topic causes Shin to roll his eyes, Mai to scoff, and the questioned to shrug.

"I like 'em," he says simply, "they're a good snack for after swimming practice."

Lilly wrinkled her nose is distaste. "Well, I personally never was one to enjoy spicy food, so I'm afraid I'll have to deny your proposition."

"Really?" Takumi looks more amused with a first part of my girlfriend's statement than disappointed with the actual rejection. Me and Lilly may have to keep an eye on him. So to speak. "I love it. But mister Recipe Nazi over here refuses to add anything to the recipes."

I can tell he's irritated with Takumi's suggestion but is just going along with it anyway. "You douse your food in sauce. The creator of this dish is an acclaimed professional. Who do you think I'll listen to for cooking instructions?"

"You see, Lils, this right here: this is what a chef shouldn't be. Rigid and inflexible."

I can't help but smile at her new nickname. Lilly seems to be integrating into my older relationships seamlessly. And may even be helping me reintegrated into them myself, given that I doubt my old self would've been able to so seamlessly make amends with my friends.

There's some food for thought.

Two life and character changing developments over the course of less than a year, huh? One for the worse and one for the better. Well, as long as my past and present can be as congenial as right now, I feel like I should be able to handle any future epiphanies. I just hope no drastic emotional events happen this February; I need to be focused that month for the exams and life changing developments are not good for studying. Although I suppose I did become more studious after my heart attack.

"Our friend Hanako also enjoys cooking. She experiments often and it mostly turns out very well," Lilly says with a hint of pride.

"And that's how it's supposed to be." Takumi looks smug, as though it was his influence that lead to Hanako being adventurous with her culinary practices. "Shin, do you think that any of the chinmi were developed without experimentation?"

"I don't plan on creating a new rare taste, Takumi." The common argument arises once more. Typically Mai joins in on teasing Shin but it seems like her new comfort and friendship with my girlfriend has given her a new subject for banter.

"What about you, Princess? You cook?"

"Why yes, actually. My sister is rather hopeless domestically."

"She's good too," I say. It's another trait of Lilly's that displays how much of a stereotypical "proper lady" she is. When I, rather cautiously but completely tactfully, pointed that out before, she just laughed it off. But I think she might take some pride in her various talents.

Mai snorts in a very ladylike fashion. I can't tell if she looks surprised or not.

"So you cook, play piano, live in a mansion," she counts off my girlfriend's many talents on her fingers, "did I miss anything?"

"Well, it's not a mansion…"

"Just a larger than average house," I finish, "we've been over this." I know that Lilly doesn't like talking about things like this.

"Wait, I wasn't there. So I was right about you being loaded?" Takumi has an odd talent of being able to ask questions he probably knows the answer to without making it obvious he does. "What does your family do?"

"My father owns a relatively large business." Her dainty hands begin to idly play with the hem of her cushion at the new topic. "A loan company. They have dealt with several corporations overseas so we traveled often and needed multiple houses."

The subject that is clearly making her somewhat uncomfortable, but nothing comes to mind in regards to changing it. The discussion of Pluto and its revoked planetary status isn't exactly relevant. And if these people didn't know Thorp, I doubt they'd know about Planck, so that topic is a dead end.

Where are those vulgar, mannerless, little siblings when you need them?

"Have you been anywhere nice?" Shin asks. Thank god he's so observant. I was considering perhaps bringing up a book about loan businesses before he latched onto the far more viable topic.

Maybe I need to work on my inability to tactfully change the subject. Would a teacher need to know that? Mutou isn't exactly the picture of gregariousness so maybe social grace under fire isn't a top priority for educators.

"My family had a summer home in Kyoto. There were several areas in that region that I rather enjoyed."

"You said you had a friend traveling through there, right?" Mai has always wanted to travel, but her family can't afford to take everyone on a trip and she refuses to go without her little siblings.

"Hanako. She's stopping by for a day soon," I say, "she's traveling with some girls in the same club as her."

"It'd be interesting to meet another one of your friends from Yamaku." Mai leans back with her palms on the floor spread behind her. Occasionally her eyes flick outside to check on her family.

"We were planning on seeing the city together," Lilly says with a smile and resituates herself in her cushion beside me. "We were planning on seeing the city."

"I get it," Takumi snorts, "because…er…"

Shin and Mai send him a pointed look and his voice trails off.

"Uh…because you…um…never mind." He coughs into his hand. "So this friend of yours is coming by soon?"

"Indeed. If you wished to meet her we could decide on a rendezvous point."

I try to think of a few spots Hanako might like to visit. The library in town is nice but I don't really spent much time there. I was not that big of a reader before the incident. Maybe they have Braille books for Lilly too. The pool, arcade, park, sports field; none of the normal places I spent time at a year ago stick out as especially appealing anymore.

No matter how much I rack my brain I can't seem to think of anywhere all of us have common ground. Before Heart Flutter Hisao had slightly different hobbies than After Heart Flutter Hisao.

It's not a bad problem to have per se, struggling to find something my old and new friends can do together that is, but it is still a quandary nevertheless. Schedules, hobbies, and the like are all factors in the bitch of task that is coordinating a get together.

But that I have this problem shows that the three of them have been forgiving for the most part and have welcomed Lilly into the fold without too much resistance.

For which I am thankful and very relieved. Did I have doubts that I would be able to make up with them at all? Yeah, definitely. Are things still more than a little uncomfortable and awkward? Yeah, definitely. But I think it turned out for the best. The teenage years of a person's life are a time of change. That's a well known fact. But some of the things that have changed about me over the last year…I don't know if they're part of the normal growing up changes or if they're because of the all my stuff with my heart.

But all things considered, my homecoming has been going better than I thought it would have.

And now I just need to figure out where these changes are taking me, Lilly, and the others to meet Hanako and her friends in a few days.

"Hisao, you're brooding again." My musings are interrupted but Takumi poking my cheek.

"I'm not brooding." You can't say that someone is brooding when they're just thinking just because they don't have some mnemonic tic. "I'm just thinking about how my heart might have changed me." I clear my throat and quickly try to clarify I mean my literal heart but the whole table laughs at me with varying degrees of malice, drowning my weak protests in their callous amusement.

Of course, on the other hand, perhaps the three of them might not be the best influence on Lilly and Hanako. The two girls are much less rambunctious than these three. All five of them have strong personalities, but the two Yamaku girls tend to be less brazen than the others.

"Oh, don't worry Hisao." Takumi reaches over and pats me on the shoulder. "We accept you, teenage angst and all."

"Shut up." I point an accusing finger at the pseudoblond. "I was just planning on where we could meet."

"Socrates and Confucius themselves didn't ponder where we are in the universe that much!" I'm legitimately surprised Mai knows who those people are.

Shin, gods and spirits above and below bless his cast iron heart, chides the two laughing fools. Two and a half including Makoto. "There are lots of things that need to be considered to organize so many people meeting up."

A microscopic smile, a crack in a forbearing mountain, crosses Shin's face, and he continues with an amused tone. "That said Hisao, it will probably just be us. I don't think you need to take Buddha or Mohammed into consideration on where we meet."

"Oh my god," I try to force all of my exasperation into my voice. "It's called thinking. You should try it sometime."

"Your friends and family are quite lovely people, Hisao," Lilly giggles.

And I now that I've ascertained that you all get along I have to make sure these delinquents never talk to you again.

Or Hanako ever.

It's nice being back home.

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Extra:

After deciding to call our shy friend, I saw that I had a few unheard messages from her.

I remember Hanako's initial eagerness for the trip, sudden trepidation at the lack of adult supervision, all followed by the newfound confidence, or the closest to confidence I've seen in her yet, encouraged by her friends.

Feeling cautiously optimistic, it was with this rollercoaster of conviction in mind that I pressed the play button.

Hanako's quiet voice comes from the speaker in its typical unsteady fashion. "Hi Lilly, Hisao. I hope you're both d-doing well. Are you…getting along with Hisao's f-family? I'm sure you are." The recording goes quiet for a moment and I almost make to move onto the next voicemail before remembering Hanako's speaking habits.

"I-um, that is, we are all doing well. We're…seeing a lot of amazing places. Naomi is using her cousin's camera so I can show you some pictures when I meet you in Hokkaido."

Another pause.

"Um…do you think—."

"Hanako! I've got the net! Shiori's bought the crackers, are you ready with the camera?"

That sounds worrying.

"I—I still don't think…this is a good idea."

"It's not a problem!"

It's with more than a little trepidation that I tap on my phone's screen and play the next voicemail.

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A.N: I have to say, this story is fighting me tooth and nail for every millimeter of text. Well, all my stories are, have, do, and, most likely, will. But it is for practice, so maybe it's a good thing I'm struggling so much.

I don't know. Whatever.

Anyway, like I stated before, this story is for the practice of relationships. I'm using a pure fiction story to practice romance, titled "Absolutely Terrible" (name subject to change) over on FictionPress. And I think/hope it's working. I personally believe that my skill with writing romantic, familial, and social relationships has improved since I started these fics. Not that anyone is telling me…

I'm fine with just talking to a wall, but I would prefer to get reviews.

Thanks for reading.

-Red


	11. Scene 11

Chapter 11: Smiles

A.N: I'm pretty nervous about this chapter. I wrote this chapter as taking place after a time skip but stopped partway through. Those aren't really my favorite writing tool, although they do have a time and place. Nevertheless, I won't be making you read an essay on the minutiae about time skips, so I'll just get to the story.

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Naomi's cousin's home is a simple and clean one story house. It has a strange style that mixes western and traditional housing. But it works well. The house is segmented with fixed walls rather than movable fusuma, but are wide and open. The rooms feels even bigger with their tastefully sparse furnishings.

However, my main impression of the house is that it feels empty. Like a house that someone has nearly finished moving out of rather one that has been lived in for over a year. It seems like it would be lonely living here alone.

Nevertheless, it is very nice. Tall ceilings, brightly lit, big windows, hardwood floors, and, to my great appreciation–

"Ahh…sweet beautiful air conditioning!" Naomi spins around joyfully and Natsume fan herself with a pamphlet she got. "Your home is an oasis, Shiori

It's very warm out. The humid night air certainly didn't help discourage perspiration.

"You are sharing the first room to the right. It should be big enough for all of you." Naomi's cousin points down a barren hall as we take off our shoes in the entrance foyer. "To the left are the baths and restroom."

Natsume turns to Naomi's cousin, giving a polite blow and smile. "Thank you for letting us into your home. It is beautiful."

Although, rather than being polite, I think that she's being honest.

He responds with the standard bow and response of gratitude. He then gestures to Natsume's bag. "Did you want help?"

She nods gratefully. "Thank you for offering. If it wouldn't be any trouble."

"You can take my bags too, Bernt." Naomi hands her cousin a five yen coin along with her luggage. In case he wanted to buy a postage stamp, I suppose. She takes her girlfriend's hand and marches off towards the left. "Us three are off to take a bath. No peeking!"

She heads down a hall with a confidence that speaks of familiarity with the layout. And she explicitly said that her cousin wasn't that type of person…

Wait.

Us three? In the bath? At the same time? In the bath? Us three?

I…I think I'll just…put my bags in the guest room first. It would be impolite to make our host carry everyone's bags to their room while we relax in the bath. Yes. That's why I'm doing this.

I hate Japan sometimes.

The aforementioned host doesn't seem to be listening to his cousin, however, already walking the opposite direction with their bags in tow. I see him slip the coin into Naomi's suitcase.

I follow him over and I note how smooth the floor feels. As though they were recently mopped, swept, and/or vacuumed and polished. I remember Naomi saying that he doesn't use the house for much other than sleeping and studying.

The guest room is unusual. A wide futon with comfy looking sheets has two smaller ones on both sides. To one side of the room, a heavy desk covered in papers and lit by a cheap looking lamp is shoved, recently if the imprints on the rug are any indicator, by a closet door. The other side wall is entirely dedicated to bookshelves, which are all in turn stuffed with texts.

"T–this…this is y–y–your…guest room?" The question comes out in an annoying squeak. I need to get rid of that stupid stutter. It's dumb and time wasting and doesn't help the broken image that people see me as.

"The master bedroom." He sets Natsume's bags by one futon and Naomi's by the other. "If you need anything I'll be down the hall, across the kitchen, in the living room. Good night."

He stops at the door, turns around and grabs a few papers from the desk, then leaves again. I guess he doesn't talk much. I suppose Naomi talks enough to (over)compensate. Who knows if I would be able to have handled this trip if they were both as quirky as the bubbly blonde.

Speaking of blondes and bubbles, I wonder how long it will take for the other two to finish their bath. I could go to sleep now, maybe. I don't need a bath to relax or apply my prescriptions.

And the vacation has been exhilarating, but also tiring. Kyoto is incredible. There's no other way to put it. The temples, the landscape, the gardens, the food, everything is just amazing.

In middle school, the orphanage went on a field trip to it but I stayed behind. All the kids talked about it for weeks after. Playing with their souvenirs. Admiring the photos taken with each other. Sometimes I liked to imagine myself in those photos, smiling with the other kids. The photos always looked uglier when I imagined them with me. I swallow dryly.

I can do this, I can do this, I can do this. With each chant of my mantra I draw the character for "man" and swallow it until the shadow of doubt fades. A childish way to get over nervousness. I learnt it from one of the caretakers.

But I can tell why the other kids loved Kyoto so much. It would have been so fun to have gone with them. I was miserable all alone in the orphanage.

I wish I went with.

For a moment, just a split second, I wonder to myself, 'why didn't I go?' For just a brief moment I forget, wallowing in my regret, why I didn't go. But I remember why I didn't.

Because then I'd just be miserable in Kyoto. And everyone else would just be miserable too. And I don't have the right to make other people miserable. To be a burden to others. To take away their happy smiles from their lives with so little joy like that.

And now, and here. I'm just…I'm just…I just…

A light knock on the door interrupts my descent into tumultuous emotions. Have they finished their bath already?

Instead, our host opens the door. "Naomi says they're waiting for you," he says.

Shouted, more likely.

Naomi. Using your cousin as a messenger is impolite. But I'm glad you waited. Resolving myself and grabbing my bag of toiletries, I make my way to the baths. It inconveniences them if I make them wait, too.

The bath is the same odd mix of modern and traditional as the rest of the house. A normal Japanese bathroom with the lowered area for washing, followed by the bath itself; a deep wooden lined tub filled with steaming water.

"Hey, Hanako," Naomi says, lying in the spacious tub, letely at ease. Her towel hanging off the side of the tub. Natsume sits in it as well. The bath fits them both comfortably, especially with Natsume leaning onto her girlfriend casually. She looks different without her glasses. The heterochromia seems less pronounced.

"Let me wash your hair for you; Shiori's got great products," she holds up a bottle, "very bourgeoisie."

Are you allowed to use that? What does bourgeoisie mean?

"And now I know that decadent spending is a familial trait." Natsume remarks.

And brown eyes, apparently. I've never seen Naomi without her contacts. Her eyes are the exact shade of warm brown as her cousin's but are a bit narrower. They look nice. Naomi would always say that her little accessories are "a way for me to treat every day like a new story."

"I–I need to use non…irritant products." Burns are sensitive and special precautions against infection or abrasions need to be taken. Nurse's words always felt so fake. Distant. As though he was talking about the weather with a stranger rather than about health hazards with a burnt girl.

Not one to be deterred from a task she she her mind to, Naomi seats herself behind the bath stool and pats it invitingly. "I can still wash your hair."

Tentatively, I sit on the small, plastic, block and let Naomi pour warm water over my head.

"You have beautiful hair, Hana."

I start to deny that anything about me could be beautiful but bite my tongue. Just take the compliment, Hanako. Sometimes people just like to say nice things for the sake of saying them and talking. Naomi used the word "conversationalist," I think.

The smell of my shampoo is a familiar one. It reminds me of hand sanitizer or a hospital. Not sterile or clinical like either of those things, but it just reminds me of them.

"I was thinking I should grow mine out, you know? But dye is just way too expensive! I tried asking Shiori if he'd float me a few yen but he said he'd need to explain why he bought it to his dad and he doesn't want to be dragged back to Scotland…"

And she's now in her "conversationalist" mode. I let myself close my eyes, just for a little bit, and enjoy the feeling of Naomi's fingers run through my hair and across my scalp. I let myself listen to enjoy her friendly chatter. Naomi really is a wonderful person. Like Lilly. They're both so good to me, even though they have no reason to be.

"It's a shame though." Naomi's bright voice sounds slightly muffled through the suds.

"It is," I respond, not really thinking.

"I know! Mint just fits you so well!"

"I…what?" I blink away the relaxed drowsiness I had fallen into.

"Well, rosemary mint, but semantics." As Naomi continues the half-conversation, she starts to rinse my hair with the shower head. I do indeed notice a faint but pleasant minty smell.

Naomi nods contemplatively. "A cool and sweet personality would've matched this scent perfectly."

The bath and the steamy water makes my cheeks flush. I quickly but carefully wash my face with my soft towel.

"You're being creepy, Naomi." Natsume frowns at her girlfriend. "I think you've washed her hair enough."

"Oh, honey," her voice takes on a smug tone, "you had your chance. If you wanted me to wash your hair you should've accepted my generous offer."

The normally composed girl can be so easily flustered from Naomi's teasing sometimes.

The tub is nice. Warm enough to be pleasant, but still not too hot. Big enough for the three of us to squeeze in and not be too snug.

"Kyoto," Naomi drags the name out like a holy word, her tone tired but satisfied and exuberant, "is so gigantic!"

Natsume playfully bumps the blonde's shoulder. "Now are you glad that I planned out our trip?"

A fervent nod answers her. "My greatest thanks, oh wise one, for thine benevolence," Naomi says, adopting an old fashioned and subservient way of speaking. "Thou's legendary ability doth meet—nay, exceeds thee's reputation."

Natsume grins, not smug, but definitely satisfied with her work and pleased with her girlfriends exaggerated but still genuine praise.

"Truly, without thine's guidance, us foolish knaves would have wandered aimlessly for over a fortnight! Praise unto thy's supreme and holy scheduling capabilities!"

I try my best to restrain a giggle at her antics. At the end of her little pontification, Naomi had stood up, gesticulating with her arms in a dramatic way and almost slipped in the slick bath from her flourishes.

"Okay, okay, laugh it up." She sits down, knees tucked into her chest, her blush standing out in high contrast to her fair skin in the bath's lights. "But thanks for being flexible and squeezing in Kinkakuji."

Squeezing in describes our tour there accurately. As Natsume predicted: it was crowded. Naomi attracted more looks than me with her clear, loud voice making what I'm guessing were references to manga or video games. We had to stop a few times due to Natsume's arthritis flaring up and finding a spot to sit for a while was a bit tricky.

But it was fun. So much fun.

The golden temple was indeed a sight to behold. And so was the rest of the temples. And the Tenmangu, the Fushimi-ku, and all the other shrines. We went to so many places but there still wasn't enough time in the day to see everything, so the photos Naomi's cousin took are very appreciated, even if Naomi seems to have exaggerated her cousin's talent a bit; some turned out jittery or blurry, but most came out very well. Natsume's encyclopedic knowledge of history gave every attraction a whole new depth, at some points I just tuned out the droning guides and listened to her. And Naomi's enthusiasm seems to just amplify any enjoyment the people around her feel.

"So…" Naomi looks at the brunette with wide eyes. Having taken her coloured contacts out, Naomi's doe eyes shine hopefully. She leans on to Natsume ever so slightly with a smile that is somehow both innocent and coquettish. "Any chance you could squeeze in Nara too?"

I briefly wonder what Naomi would look like if she had her cousin's chocolate hair and didn't wear contacts. Once again, the humid heat makes me a little flush.

Natsume's willpower soon crumbles. "Fine. I'll have to shift some stuff around but I can make it work."

"I love you and your beautiful brain so much!" Naomi almost squeals. "We've got to see the the Ninja Museum and Nara Park, of course! Hana, have you ever seen pictures of Mount Wakakusa? It's beautiful!"

The three of us continue to talk about things like that for a while.

I have so much fun that it's only after I brush my teeth and collapse onto the soft bedding that I note I forgot to apply the cream. The mattress is almost criminally luxurious; it feels like a cloud and the blankets drape gently across my prone form.

I feel my thoughts becoming sluggish and I soon find myself breathing in synch with Natsume's quiet snoring. The next thing I know, I'm closing my eyes with the corners of my lips being tugged gently upwards subconsciously. As the welcoming darkness blurs the line of consciousness, I decide to let myself smile. Just a little.

The room is considerably brighter and I feel much more aware when I next open my eyes.

Looking over I see that Natsume had at some point in the night rolled over to Naomi, the two of them snuggling in the bigger futon.

A sudden urge passes though my head. A random, mischievous, pointless, out of character urge.

The two of them just look so content, sleeping in each others arms like that. Natsume has her legs wrapped around her girlfriend's, essentially binding the snoring blonde in place. Perhaps to prevent the idiosyncratic writer from leaving for an inspiration walk in the late hours. Naomi seems to have retorted by using her own free limbs to pull Natsume closer, resting her chin on the girl's brown hair.

Carefully, silently, wondering to myself if I have been hanging out with Naomi too much the entire time, I reached into my bag and take out my phone.

They spent a good hour talking about each other's embarrassing moments on the train ride here. This is a normal thing friends do. I mean, I didn't do anything like it in primary school, but the two of them clearly get along well.

My phone is a cheap one. An older model capable of calling, texting, and a few other features. Like taking photos. I press the button on the camera as slowly as I can, holding my breath and repeatedly convincing myself this isn't a terrible idea.

A short bright flash follows the light but audible clicking sound promptly proves me wrong. Reacting, more off instinct than anything, I promptly drop my phone and myself into my covers and tuck my head under the downy blankets.

Underneath my fortress of silk, I bite my lip and barely stop myself from giggling when I hear a soft smacking sound.

"Hmm…thirsty…" Naomi yawns. A short pause. "Eheh…"

Daring to peek from under my covers, I look with a single eye and see Naomi looking at her impromptu bedmate with a beautiful smile. One of affection, tenderness, and a bit of amazement and admiration. She buries her face in Natsume's brown locks and closes her eyes again. A deep ache is develops in my chest. A pulling feeling that tugs at the inside of me, neither cold nor hot it just pulls. I try to steady my breathing.

Only when Naomi's own breathing resumes a methodical pace do I dare peek my head out. I look at the photo I had taken on a whim and feel myself smiling as well.

I wish someone would look at me like that. First I should just want for someone to look at me without pity or disgust.

Still cautious, I wait a bit longer. Eventually I get up and head towards the baths again. The air is damp. So judging by that and the faint clicking sound I heard down the hall, Naomi's cousin is up and has been for a while.

In the bathroom, alone, I do my stretches, the disfigured parts pulling tight sooner than the not. I wash my hair and body, and rub a thin layer of disinfectant cream over the leathery skin. I feel a bit of bile churn in my gut at the sight of the large splotches of burnt skin.

In the bathroom, alone, I don't have anything to distract me from my reflection. Steam soon blurs the image. But I can still see the ugly scars. The colour of dried blood, with swollen vein like patterns scattered across them.

The supper I had late last night continues to shift uncomfortably at the sight and feeling.

Every drip of the water and squeak on the tiles sound so much louder in the empty bath. It's hard to believe that just last night I was in here with those two. Acting like a normal girl talking to her friends.

Right as I open the door to exit, it swings open on its own.

"Morning Hana!" Naomi grins at me, far too chipper for someone who just woke up. "Ready for another busy day?"

Behind her, Natsume rub her bleary eyes and mumbles our a quiet, "good morning."

After a half a second of deliberation, I don't try to hide my salve behind my back. The towel wrapped around me would make it awkward and they already know about the special shampoo I need to use. Smiling, normally, I hope, I skirt by them.

I see that, despite being tired, both of them made have put our futons in a dryer already. The small electronic box him quietly as it blows heated air through its wide tube and over the bedding.

Now dressed in a thin, blue, long sleeved shirt and a black skirt with grey stockings, I head to the kitchen. I want to see if there's any tea; Lilly had gotten me addicted to her calming brews by the second semester of first year.

The counter in the kitchen, a smooth marble, feels cool under my palm. A porcelain bowl sits at the center. In it are…berries, maybe? About the size and shape of unripe blueberries but coloured a vivid shade of red, they pop out vibrantly against the elegant counter.

Sitting in a stylish but practical chair with his feet propped on the couch across from him is our host, a small pair of round rimmed glasses resting in his nose as he types on a laptop and takes notes on a pad with one hand and occasionally sips from a mug with his other.

The mug itself looks rather out of place. Unlike everything else in this house, the mug looks old. Used and worn. The furnishings and appliances are luxurious, modern, chic and minimalistic. But the mug is, for lack of better words, dinky. It has a chip along the top and the brightly coloured, smiling flowers in its side are fading.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

I nod absentmindedly, still not able to look directly at him.

"I–is…t–there breakfast?" Closer, but still pathetic sounding.

"I made omelets you can microwave. And some rice balls to take with. You can help yourself. Let me know when you're ready to leave."

I decide to just nod, even though he is focusing on the laptop. Sounds of water running come from the bathroom, indicating that Naomi or Natsume had started their shower.

Inside the polished refrigerator are three plates with omelettes. Bright yellow and dotted with red peppers, bits of ham, and finely diced chives. Beside them is a rectangular container with two neat rows of uniform, triangular onigiri.

I pick one up by the nori wrap and nibble on one of the corners. If it weren't for the seaweed I wouldn't be able to tell which point was up. The rice is lightly seasoned and the small salt plum in the middle really brings it all together. They taste fresh and vaguely familiar. Maybe the cafeteria at school?

Delicious.

It must be nice having a reliable cousin like Naomi does. Both of my parents a–were single children.

Other than muted bird songs and the clicks of the keyboard, the kitchen is silent. Quietly eating the omelette, I try not to look directly at Naomi's cousin. Maybe I should have waited for the other two to shower first. But Naomi's cousin doesn't look any more inclined to break the silence than I am whenever I glance over at him.

"Ooh, glasses!" Naomi's words cut through the morning air. The memory of the swallow that nested near the orphanage one year passes though my head. Even her shirt, a dusky blue with short reddish sleeves, conjured the songbird's image. "Shiori, when did you get glasses?"

"April."

"Is it because of all your studying? If you keep pulling the late-night-early-morning kind of stuff, your eyes will stay like that forever, ya know?"

"Pardon?" For the first time since anyone entered the room, Naomi's cousin looks up from his uter and notes. His expression still hasn't changed from its tired, passive look but I think I see a bit of irritation on his face.

In response Naomi pulls down her sides of her eyes with her fingers while widening them as far as she could. "Like this. The droopy, puppy eyes look; it's like you're pouting with your eyes."

I stifle a laugh at how accurate her description, if not her actual portrayal, is. Her cousin has grown into his eyes a bit since that one photo was taken, but they're still rather wide. I immediately feel guilty. I don't have any right to laugh at another person's appearance. The slightly numbed and greatly disfigured skin tingles a bit with shame.

His discussed brown eyes roll before focusing on the colourful, swirling strings of…something on the laptop. The thin coloured ribbons fold and bend and pause with the angle changing so fast I get a little dizzy. A game? Naomi does like video games so maybe that's a commonality between them.

"You made donuts, my favorite," despite her mislabeling, Naomi sounds genuinely pleased. The two of them at the least know each other well. But rice balls and donuts look nothing alike; how did she mix them up?

"Onigiri," her cousin corrects.

"Aw, and you kept the mug I gave you when you left for Scotland."

He raises it slightly, as if saluting her observation. "It's the best present I've ever been given."

"Your pulling out all the stops to show your favorite cousin how much you love her, aren't you?" Naomi stretches and "yawns," her hands covering her, probably smirking, mouth. "Well I put a lot of effort into that gift. It's not like I forgot to get you a present, went in the cupboard, dug out that little number, and threw it in a bag."

That's very specific.

He sets down the mug, making his way to the fridge. "Yes, clearly you put great thought into my going away present," he says while pouring a glass of orange juice. "I got the brand you like."

"Cheers, Arakawa!" The cup of juice is held with an extended finger, its contents splashing haphazardly, but her cousin doesn't seem to be nervous about any mess.

"I'm going to water the bonsai. Then I'll be ready to go."

"I still can't believe you took up tray planting." Naomi now sounds exasperated and teasingly condescending. "You used to do more extreme stuff; you went storm chasing for god's sake!"

He just shrugs and fills a pitcher with water.

"I've never seen that kind of tree before," Natsume comments, "what is it?"

Maybe you have but just didn't notice. It certainly blends in. The miniature tree's branches are thin and brown, sprouting from its twisted, gnarled trunk and roots. The leaves are oval and serrated along the edges. A few tiny orange-red fruits dot the foliage. The same as in the bowl, I think.

"Celtis."

Because that really explains everything you need to know. But I can't help but feel like that was as far as the conversation was going to go.

"Natsume, honey, love of my life," Naomi grips the arthritic girl by her shoulders with a dead serious gaze that is completely ruined by the pseudo-mustache she gained from the juice, "you need to promise me something: no more correcting the tour guides."

That one woman did get rather short near the end, yes. But even I knew that rubbing the statue gives you good luck. A curse is the complete opposite of good fortune.

"If they're telling thousands of people the information, it needs to be correct!"

"You sagacious, intrepid, advocate for truth, you." Naomi smiles. A smile that says 'I wouldn't have you any other way.' "But, we've tarried long enough; it's a long trip to Nara so if we want to hit it today we have to go now."

"So you are going to Nara?" Our driver doesn't sound enthused, but that may just be his steady tone.

"Yes," she says with a big thumbs up.

"We weren't going to but I decided to cut out some other things, so it should work." Natsume says looking apologetic.

"No problem."

"The wonders of technology will help you stay a teacher's pet, Shiori! There's no need to worry!"

If he had any reason to stop being our chauffeur and host and took it we wouldn't be able to stop him. Fortunately, Naomi's cousin seems to have been a Buddhist in a past life. Um…looking at the luxuries around me, I reevaluate and retract that thought.

"Come on, we can do singalongs!"

I would honestly rather walk.

Trying to finish the city then heading to Nara is a Herculean feat. A week suddenly feels much to short to see just Kyoto, let alone Kyoto, Hokkaido, and Niigata.

Kyoto and Hokkaido were my goals. My milestones. Tokyo, Osaka, Nara, and Nagano were prefectures I wanted to see as well, but…baby steps, Hanako…baby steps…

Besides, I can't hold it against Naomi and Natsume for wanting to spend time with their families. And there's still the pile of school work sitting in my room. I'll experience the rest of it later. I just hope I can make up for ten years of lost time.

* * *

Extra:

"Nine hundred twenty four bottle of sake on the wall, nine hundred twenty three bottle of sake! Take one down, pass it around! Nine hundred twenty three bottle of sake on the wall!"

"If she finishes this song I'm kicking her out of the car."

I would slam the door shut.

A bit less than five hours and a bit more than nine hundred bottle of sake later, our car was one passenger lighter and roughly seventy decibels quieter.

* * *

A.N: Wow, this chapter turnt out a lot more melancholy than I intended. Of course with the melodrama that is Hanako, a bit of tragedy is inevitable. Huh, I guess that's also makes the chapter title a bit ironic.

I apologize to anyone with burns, scars, depression, etc. if my portrayal of Hanako is insensitive or inaccurate. I tried to be tactful and hope I succeeded.

Thanks for reading.

-Red


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